I, Kerensky

From BattleTechWiki

[edit] Description

• Amnesia destroyed his memory. As he struggled to recollect his forgotten past, new life awaited for him. Would it be better to live like he used to, or should he just embrace his future and never look back?
• The first and only one with 1st-person POV. My finest work so far.

[edit] Story

[edit] ONE

Unknown Place, Unknown Time,
Day 1

When I opened my eyes, I saw only light.

It lingered on for some time, showering me with its dull pallor until my eyeballs sunk deep into the sockets, or so I thought. Then it faded, and everything else took shape. Plastic fluid-filled containers, boxes with green and red twinkles above my head, drab plastic pipes dangling from the containers, docking in my arms. Looking further, I saw a bench with metallic objects scattered about, things that my throbbing head could not even begin to comprehend. As the light subsided, more and more shapes came into view. But instead of clueing me, they just made my eyes burn. Even worse than the light.

“Finally,” a soft voice tickled my ears. I looked up, and there it was, a face with long curly hair bundled into a tight bun. It hovered above me, closer and closer, until everything I could see was a blurry, yellowish hue. Then a bright light, similar to the one that I saw before, stabbed my right eyes. I shut my eyes and tried to turn away but the support underneath my body creaked and shuddered.

“Oh, oh, sorry. Didn’t mean to hurt you,” I heard the voice soothe. Slowly I opened my eyes, and the face was now perched on top of a slender figure, draped in white cloth. Before I could absorb any details, she moved forward again, waving something in front of me, and spoke again with that gentle, velvety voice. “Do you know who you are?”

As confused as I was, I understood what she was asking. This stranger wanted to know about me. The curiosity was mutual. There was so much I needed to know.

I did not remember………anything.

“Doc! He’s awake! Come quick!” she shrilled. Another one, also dressed in white, quickly burst into the room. This one was much bolder than the first, putting his cold appendages on my face. Nasty little buggers! If only I could move, I would rip them apart and throw them across the room.

“Heart rate normal. Temperature normal. Pupils are dilated, maybe still in shock,” he boomed while scratching something on a piece of paper. “Whatever he went through, it must’ve been a real hell.” He bent over and spoke right in front of my face, “Hello. Can you understand me?”

I could only respond by staring into his dark eyes.

“My name is Doctor Kim. This is Nurse Lin, my assistant. We’ll take good care of you. Do you remember your name?”

Name. I did not even remember if I had a name, let alone remember what it was. Again, I could only stare blankly at the good doctor and his assistant, and I could see how their flame of curiosity flickered to pity. I hated being pitied but I could not help feeling a little bit sorry for myself.

“Blunt-force trauma, Doc?” Nurse Lin suggested.

“Could be. Or could be just shock.” The doctor swung by me to check the blinking things on top of my head. “His vitals are normal. I suspect it’s mental. Something traumatic, like losing someone he loves. Heavy mental trauma has been known to cause temporary amnesia. Give him ten cc’s of neurovillacine and get him to rest. We’ll see if he can remember anything tomorrow.”

As the doctor left, the nurse took a small glass tube with a sharp metallic object on the front end. She stabbed me with the metal, and I felt a small twinge on my lower body. But whatever she did to me, it worked. I felt relaxed, and I actually came to a point that I did not care about anything anymore.

“Poor guy,” the nurse said, right before I closed my eyes. “I gave you nerve-relaxing serum. Some rest may help you retrieve your forgotten past. But let’s leave that for tomorrow. Now just relax and take a good rest. I’ll be here to take care of you.”

I did not want to rest. I wanted to know a lot of things. Who am I? Where am I? How did I wake up here, in the middle of these strange people? But as hard as I tried to stay awake, I could not fight the serum. I drifted farther and farther away from where I wanted to be, and before long, I yielded to sleep. The last thing I saw was Nurse Lin smiling at me.

Unknown Place, Unknown Time,
Day 5

It had been five days since I woke up in this bizarre world. My body had regained some of its vigor, although not as I had hoped. My knees were shaky, and my hips could barely support my body. Nevertheless, Nurse Lin said it was normal to a certain extent, considering I was out for a long time.

A long time.

I did not know how long because I could not remember anything. I did not have any recollection of who I was, what I was, or what I did prior to this. I did not even remember my name. Nurse Lin said that a local trapper found me several weeks ago at a river bend north of this small town, apparently frozen to death in the cold winter. No identity, no friends, nothing. Just like that, lying in the snow.

“It surprised everyone that you were still alive,” Nurse Lin said to me one time. “Ordinary people would’ve been frozen solid. You have a remarkable resistance to cold. Lucky for you, Mr. Skyami got you before the nolans.”

“Nolans?” I said, surprised that I did not lose my ability to communicate with these locals.

“Nolans are predators unique to Engadine,” Nurse Lin explained. “Fearsome animals, thick armor-like skin, long nails, ferocious appetite. Since the first settlers set their feet on Engadine, we humans have been fighting constantly with the nolans to be the sole sovereign of Engadine.” She paused for a moment, scanning my face. Catching my utter confusion, she smiled and said, “You’ve never heard anything about nolans, have you?”

I replied with a faint shrug.

“Then you must be an off-worlder. A lot of outsiders don’t know about nolans. That’s understandable. Engadine is a remote world, close to the Periphery, with no particular value to any industries within the Inner Sphere, except for The Rooting. Anyway, do you remember your affiliation? Lyran? FedSun? Draconian? Capellan? Free World? Taurian? Mercenary?” When she saw my blank stare, she knew that her words did not mean anything to me. “You don’t remember any of those states, do you? My god! Don’t tell me…are you a Clanner?”

“I…”

“I’m sorry,” she retreated, knowing that she had pressed her curiosity too hard. “Maybe it’s too hard for you. Just rest now. We’ll try that again later.”

That was two days ago. Within two days I learned a lot from Nurse Lin. This place was called Hogye, a small town in a world called Engadine, on the border of Melissa Theater, in Lyran Alliance territory. I learnt that Hogye used to be a decent-sized village, one of the hottest spots in Engadine where off-world tourists and thrill seekers spent one month for a bloody hunting game called The Rooting. I learnt that since The Clans invaded Inner Sphere, Hogye had been partially deserted, and what were left behind had to struggle to fight the nolans, the undisputed kings of Engadine before humans came to this cold, arid world. I learned that The Clans, though more advanced than most armies in the Inner Sphere, had been defeated six years ago on a world called Tukayyid. And I learnt that today was the year of 3058, and it had been six weeks since Mr. Skyami brought me to this town.

Six weeks.

Basically, that was when my life started. I had no life before then. I did, obviously, but it was dead. Lost. Forgotten. Nurse Lin and I had been trying vigorously to scavenge what was left about my previous life, but our joint effort had been vain. Doctor Kim mentioned that I had a bad contusion on my head when I was brought to Hogye, and he hypothesized that I had a massive head-blow. It might be temporary, but from the amount of memory loss, he wondered if I would ever remember anything at all. Might as well start a new life.

So here I was, in a foreign world, standing in front of a mirror, looking at a total stranger. I was looking at my own reflection, yet I did not recognize anything. I was a nobody in front of my own eyes. A man without a face. Such a misery was almost unbearable. I spent hours standing in front of the mirror each day, trying to dig the deepest cache in my mind, searching for the elusive truth, but ever time I came up empty handed.

“Anything?” Nurse Lin said gently.

“No,” I sighed. “I still do not remember anything.”

“Pictures usually work better,” she tapped my hand. “Here, I brought a lot of pictures. Why don’t you sit with me and look at the pictures together. Who knows, maybe one of them will trigger some memories from your past.”

I agreed. I followed her to a small table and took the seat in front of her. She opened up a large binder, and pulled out a stack of pictures. She handed some to me, and asked me to go through each one slowly, in case I could get something out of the picture. She explained that the pictures were emblems of different factions: Clanners, Inner Spheroids, Periphery States, Mercenaries, Bandits, everything. She good-naturedly gave me a short explanation about each faction, from the political view, social life, military units, and even the most basic difference between Inner Spheroids and Clanners.

When these pictures failed to bring something to me, she pulled out another stack of pictures. These pictures depicted faces of humans, individuals that founded the course of human lives through the universe, starting from Kerney-Fuchida, Alexander Kerensky and Stefan Amaris, Jerome Blake, to the leaders of today’s Successor States. She knew every little bit of them, and how they contributed a piece to the history of mankind.

“How do you know so much about everything?” I asked curiously.

“I read history during my breaks,” she answered in a wink. “You might’ve already noticed that Doctor Kim is rarely here. Sometimes I finished my work and I had to wait until he returned to the sickbay. So I read.”

“Where can I read some of this history?” She had piqued my interest.

“There’s a computer terminal in the next room. You can access an HPG uplink from there, including the most recent information across the Inner Sphere. But of course, the information is weeks old. But some information never changes, like history.”

“Are these individuals on the uplink too?”

“Most of them,” she replied, stacking the pictures. “I printed them out for you. Anyway… anything from these?”

“No,” I bit my lips, afraid to disappoint her. “I think I have never seen those faces before. I might have, but no one seems familiar.”

“That’s OK,” she forged a smile. “Let’s see if these bring out some memories. I don’t know much about these, but I hope you may recognize some of them.”

She pulled out the third stack. These pictures were images of beasts, mechanical beasts, with weapons stacking up on their bodies. Some of them were like humans, although the proportions were sometimes off. Sometimes their legs were too short, other times their heads were just too small for their bodies. Others resembled grotesque birds, with inverted limbs and joints and boxy shoulders. Most of them had tubes and holes all around their bodies.

“What are these?” I asked.

“Those are BattleMechs,” Nurse Lin explained. “They are the primary machines of war. When two factions dispute over something, more than likely they go to war, and BattleMechs are their primary weapons. They stand between 8 to 12 meters tall, and weigh anywhere between 20 to 100 tons. These machines are piloted by MechWarriors, highly trained pilots that become the brain of the 'Mechs. The fastest BattleMechs can run up to 120 kilometers per hour, and the heaviest can actually mount weapons powerful enough to wipe out Hogye within minutes.”

“Why would anyone destroy Hogye?” I asked, and I knew it sounded like a really dumb question.

“Well,” she retracted, a little sheepish. “I don’t mean that. Nobody would, you know. It’s just an analogy of how powerful these BattleMechs can be.”

“I see,” I nodded, and flipped through the pictures. Then I felt something. A sensation. Though faint, it ran through my entire body. I could feel its ripples running along my skin. A sensation that built up from deep inside my core, and emanated to every nerve ending. A carnal feeling, lying in the border of fear and wrath.

“What is it?” Nurse Lin said, catching the change in my façade. “Do you recognize any of those 'Mechs?”

“I… I am not sure,” I stammered, still trying to figure out everything while looking at the pictures.

“But you felt something. What did you feel?”

I paused for a moment. I could not describe what I felt, so I just shook my head.

“Come on, what did you feel? Fear? Anger? Desire? Thrill?”

“Nurse Lin, please,” I pleaded. “This is a very hard situation for me. You gave me a lot of pictures, and no one helped me so far. I am still lost.”

The nurse leaned back in her chair, and realized that she had pressed me too much. She let out a long sigh before saying, “You’re right, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to rush you. Let’s do this again some other time. You need to rest.” She started to pile the pictures, then looked at me with a victorious smile. “But at least we know something.”

“What?”

“You were a MechWarrior.”

“I what?” I was utterly baffled. “How did you end up with that conclusion?”

“Only a MechWarrior would look at a 'Mech with passion as strong as yours when you looked at the pictures,” she looked at me sincerely. “So I’ll see if you can work at the 'Mech garage. I’ll talk to Trejo, the garage manager. He is a hospital regular, so he knows me well. At the 'Mech garage you can be around BattleMechs all day. You might remember something when you work with them in the past.”

“So do you think that I piloted one of those before?” I asked. “What if I did not? Will I just waste my time?”

“No, you can also interact with more people. To this date, you just talk to me, maybe a little bit with Dr. Kim. By working at the 'Mech garage, you’ll talk to pilots, techs, managers, guards, different varieties of people. Maybe you can strike a conversation that brings back your memory. How’s that sound? Do you like it?”

“I guess,” I concurred.

“So let’s just take a rest today. I’ll see what I can do.” She got up, but then went back to the chair with a smirk in her face. “You can’t work at the 'Mech garage without a name. People have to call you by something. Do you remember your name yet?”

“No.”

“Then how should we call you?”

“I… uh…” I did not know what to do.

“Alright, what if we call you… Parker?”

“Parker?”

“Why? Don’t you like it? We can always find another one…”

“Parker is fine,” I forced myself to smile. “It is nice to be called by something, even if this is not my real name. Thank you, Nurse Lin. You have been a great help for me.”

“Hey, it’s my job,” she walked to the door.

[edit] TWO

Hogye, Engadine,
Melissa Theater, Lyran Alliance,
March 21, 3058

So, I was Parker.

It was funny, being called something that I had never heard before. What kind of man had a name like Parker? I hated it. I wish I could remember my real name. But until then, I just had to settle with Parker.

So there I was, standing in front of the 'Mech garage, looking for a man named Trejo. This was Nurse Lin’s idea, to work close to BattleMechs. She still believed that I was a MechWarrior, and she thought I would recognize something through the job. I had to disagree, but I was in no position to negotiate. Although I thought this was a bad idea, I had no choice but to go to the 'Mech garage to talk about the job with Mr. Trejo.

Yes. Bad idea.

“No! No! Vete al infierno, anos!” a loud voice echoed from inside the garage, sorting through metal clanging and whirring. Then I heard some other voices, but it became too cacophonic to figure out everything. I was about to return to the hospital when a short, stocky man blasted out from a double door. His face was all flushed with rage, and his moustache seemed to curl up on the tip. His eyes were red, a sure hint of sleep deprivation, and although he was a lot shorter than me, he looked at me like a teacher looking down on a slow student.

“Que qierres?” he asked.

“Mr. Trejo, I presume? Nurse Lin sent me here for a job,” I replied frankly. “Is this a bad time?”

“Oh no, no bad time. It’s just some 'Mech salesmen that won’t take no for an answer.” He glanced back and stuck his head through the double door, shouting, “Pendejos!”

“I can come back anytime, when everything is better,” I suggested.

“No need to worry, Senor,” he tried to smile. “Si, I remember talking to the nurse. You are the stranger guy, no? The one that Skyami loco brought home two months ago? What’s your name?”

“Parker,” I said reluctantly. “It is not my real name. Nurse Lin gave it to me. I cannot remember my real one.”

“Parker, hm?” he grinned. “So tell me, what makes you come here for a job? Were you a MechWarrior? A mechanic? A part salesman?”

“I wish I knew, Mr. Trejo,” I explained. “I do not remember anything about my past. Nurse Lin thought I would remember something if I worked at your garage. She suggested that I try different things and see if I can remember something.”

Mr. Trejo let out a sharp breath, epitomizing his aggravation. “This is not a playground, amigo. I pay my employees by the hour. However,” he paused while catching his breath, “the nurse took a good care of me when I was sick. I will repay her kindness this time. But I expect you to work hard like my other employees. And one more thing… I don’t have money for an extra employee. You are here for your amnesia treatment, no? So consider working here as a product of my good heart.”

I looked at him, thinking of what I was supposed to say. Nurse Lin never mentioned about the money, and honestly, it never came to my mind either. This was utterly disturbing, thinking about all possibilities why I could forget about the payment. Perhaps, in my previous life, I was a spoiled kid who never had to worry about money. I might be a prince, an heir to an emporium that spent days after days sitting on a throne, watching money flow freely into my vault. Or I might be a spawn of a fascist, militaristic society that did everything for the country, for the emperor, the prince, the duke, the coordinator, whatever they called it.

“So,” Mr. Trejo croaked, robbing me from my daydreaming. “Wanna start now?”

“I do,” I said hesitantly. “What do you want me to do, Mr. Trejo?”

“One of my techs quits. I have to put Cedro on double shift. See if he needs help.”

“If I may ask, Sir, which one is Cedro?”

“You have a mouth, Parker! Ask!” Mr. Trejo snapped, then disappeared behind the double door.

I could clearly see that Mr. Trejo was not a nice man. He would suck a man dry for his own benefit, and I was next in the suck line. Although he complained about paying me, he had also let slip that one of his techs had quitted so he should have a little cash surplus. How hard was it to understand that he was simply taking advantage of me? Of my condition, nonetheless?

However, I was powerless. I decided to play by his rules and went through the double door. I walked down a narrow corridor until it ended up at another double door. When I pushed it, an awesome sight greeted me. Behind the doors was a vast hall full of equipment. Large mechanical arms hung from the ceilings, while crates and tools lay scattered on the floor. Trucks with large tanks parked side by side. And four colossuses, each stood about ten meters high, perched on different sites on the hall, among half a dozen battle tanks.

I had seen the metal giants before, when Nurse Lin tried to revive my memory using pictures. They were BattleMechs, the crown jewels of military technology. The biggest of them all stood idle in a corner, with two big guns as its arms. It was a big 'Mech, easily dwarfing the other three on the hall. Two of them were comparable in size, as if they were made as compliments to each other. These two were more humanoid looking than the biggest one. The last 'Mech was the shortest; the shoulders of the humanoid 'Mechs were taller than the cockpit of this 'Mech. Techs swarmed the 'Mechs, checking parts and weapons.

I stood there for about five minutes, frozen by thrill and wonder, marveling at the colossus quartet that monopolized the hall. Looking at the 'Mechs made me tingle. It was similar to the feeling that I had when I looked at the 'Mech pictures at the hospital, only more real. For once, I agreed with Nurse Lin. There had to be a connection between me and BattleMechs, one way or the other.

“Hey, you!” I heard a curt voice. “Trejo pays you to work! Get your ass down there!”

I turned around and saw this big brute walking toward me. He was about my height, but his weight easily beat mine by 50 pounds, if not more. He wore a sleeveless shirt, which I quickly noticed why. His arms were all muscles, and his biceps were twice as big as mine. Although his lower body was not as developed as his upper part (excessively large stomach and short legs), his posture was intimidating, especially with long hair, dark complexion, and unkempt moustache.

“What are you looking at, prick?” he roared. “I said get down there and make yourself useful!”

He tried to grab my neck, but I flinched. “My name is Parker, and I am new,” I said while backpedaling. “I am assigned to Cedro…” The big man looked at me with a sinister stare, then bellowed from the top of his lung, “Is there a Cedro here? You’ve got a greenhorn looking for you!”

“Si, si Senor! Over here!” a faint voice rose up from the clamor. A thin man in his forties came running through the crowd, greeting me and the big man in a rush. Sweat running through his face, and his shirt was totally soaked. I could imagine what Trejo put him through.

“Soy Cedro, como esta,” he said in his raging breath. “Senor Trejo said that he’d find a substitute for Raoul. I’m glad you came! We’re desperately shorthanded down there.”

“Good! Then take this loon with you!” the big man grumbled. “And don’t forget to clean up the leg struts on my JagerMech. I want it done and I want it done in two hours! I’m already late for my routine patrol, because of you lazy sonsofbitches!”

“Si Senor, consider it done Senor!” Cedro bowed and hauled my hand, tugging me away from the big man. He led me to the biggest 'Mech in the hall, and gave me a toolbox. “Here, we need to clean up and oil up the struts. You do the left leg, I’ll take the right.”

I froze, completely froze. There were dozens of tools inside the box, but I had no idea what they were for. If I had a close encounter with a BattleMech before, I was sure that it was not at this side. Even when I tried so hard to recognize the tools, none of them gave me the scantest idea of what I should do with them. I was completely lost. I felt like I had never touched any of the tools before.

“What’s the matter, amigo?” Cedro queried.

“I… I do not know what to do,” I said frankly.

“What? Then why are you here?” he snapped. “Why does Senor Trejo employ you if you don’t know how to use tools?”

“My name is Parker, I was brought here unconscious, and I cannot remember my past,” I explained. “I am sorry if you misunderstood, Mr. Cedro, but I am here to find out about my past. Nurse Lin thought I might remember something if I work with BattleMechs, and Mr. Trejo employed me to pay homage to Nurse Lin. I am not even paid to work here.”

“Estoy hasta la madre…” Cedro sighed, staring at me with blank eyes, not believing his hard luck. “Senor Trejo knows that I’m working two shifts back to back. Why in the name of God does he assign somebody that doesn’t know squat about 'Mechs to help me?”

“I will try to help you,” I felt guilty for taking part in his misery. “But you have to teach me. Cleaning and oiling struts does not sound complicated. Give me a chance, and I will assist you the best I can.”

Cedro gave me a strange stare, as if he was weighing up my proposal. But I knew he would give me a chance. He was in serious need of help, and at this point, any help would do. He sunk his face into his chest for a while, then rose up and said, “Very well, amigo. You can sit and learn how to do this. I’ll do this one.”

As Cedro deftly took the leg apart, I sat there and watched how he did everything. He was a short thin man, even shorter than Nurse Lin, but he worked fast. His hands danced around the 'Mech parts, and I had a hard time following what he was doing, so fast was his movement. I felt that it was too much to learn in an hour, so I decided to learn something else.

“If I may ask, who was the big man that I talked to before?” I asked.

“That would be Hauptmann ‘Viper’ Viveros, leader of the Hunt Lance of the Combined Arms Mercenary Regiment,” Cedro explained. “He’s a cabron, a real troublemaker. Some rumor says that he was a soldier of Lyran’s 4th Donegal, before he was discharged dishonorably. I suggest that you stay away from him.”

Cedro’s explanation piqued my interest to learn more about the history of this town. “Why do you need mercenaries? Are you in a war with somebody?”

“It all started during the Clan Invasion,” Cedro wiped away the sweat that beaded on his forehead. “Before the Invasion, Engadine was a tourist attraction, because of The Rooting. Each year a lot of rich people came to Engadine to hunt the nolans, the native habitants of Engadine.”

“I know about the nolans and The Rooting,” I interjected.

“Si, Senor, The Rooting. It was a big party around. They hunted the nolans until they were not many of them left, but many enough to avoid extinction and breed, so the next year the riches could come back for another Rooting. Hogye was a tourist camp back than. You see this garage? It was a shop, selling hunting gears and weapons to kill the nolans. We also had haciendas, cantinas, bars, and all sort of entertainments for the tourists.

“When the Clans came, every good warrior was called to fight them. Less and less people came to Engadine for The Rooting, and in 3056 The Rooting was canceled, the first time in two centuries. The nolans grew uncontrollably, and we Hogye citizens had been terrorized by the predators. So the ruler of Engadine, Lord President Alistar Daniel, had to hire the Combined Arms Mercenary Regiment to help us. The Hunt Lance and two lances of tanks were assigned to defend Hogye and Kinst, Hogye’s neighboring town. But the Viper is not a nice guy. He helps us fighting the nolans, but he and his caballeros demand a high ransom. We have to pay them money, fix their 'Mechs for free, provide food and entertainment.”

“Can the sheriff train the citizens to defend themselves?” I inquired.

“You don’t understand,” Cedro paused a moment. “We don’t have 'Mechs. We do have several units of Cutlass battlesuits that were modified specifically to fight the nolans in The Rooting. But the number of nolans have increased so far that the Cutlass are not sufficient anymore. We need BattleMechs to fight them. Hogye has only one 'Mech, the sheriff’s Commando, but that Star-League junk is not enough to defend the entire town against the nolans. Kinst only has several old tanks.”

“There has to be a way to control the nolans without external help,” I contemplated. “The root of Hogye’s problems is its inability to defend itself against the forces of nature, so the citizens had to import stronger predators. It is understandable that the CAMR act like princes and princesses of Hogye. They know that Hogye is depending on them. Without them, Hogye is lost. If Hogye can find a way to defend itself against the nolans, the CAMR will lose their bargaining power. They have two choices: leave Hogye, or try to maintain their domination by showing off their 'Mech power. But if Hogye can fight the nolans, Hogye may be able to fight back the CAMR. Combining strength with Kinst, I think even the Viper will think twice to enforce his power over the two cities. We solve two problems with one solution.”

“Ay mierda…” Cedro mumbled, his mouth agape.

His reaction was mostly unexpected. But as a matter of fact, I scared myself too. I could not believe what I just said. What I said was simple logic. But how could I come up with a systematic military analysis just by listening to Cedro’s babbles for ten minutes? I was a stranger in this town. And I was naïve if I thought that I was the first one who came up with this idea. People like Cedro and Trejo that lived here for a long time must have thought about this plan, too. The fact that they still lived under the oppression of the CAMR told me that maybe – just maybe – this plan was unfeasible.

But still, I was awed – and scared – by the way my brain worked.

Nurse Lin told me that I might find something by talking to different people. I did. I had a very sharp analysis mind, almost felt like a militaristic leader. But now I was too scared to continue. What if I were a ruthless commander? What if I were a fascist that regarded human lives like crap? What if I were a sadistic duke? And what if I were… a Clanner, a human being bred solely to war?

“You want to talk about fighting?” Cedro blurted. “Maybe you should work at the sheriff office instead of here! Otherwise, no chingados mames! I have five kids, man! I do no fighting!”

Maybe I overlooked the fact that Hogye was a peace-loving community, so the citizens preferred being abused by the mercenaries than raising the weapons themselves. Maybe this was their choice. I felt like a complete idiot.

“You are right, Mr. Cedro. It is not my place to discuss such a brusque topic with you. My sincere apologies. Tell me what I can do to help you.”

Cedro looked at me with pity in his eyes. His wrath had long gone, replaced by fatigue. He reached his toolbox to get a rod with a tube on one end. “I’m done with this part. Can you reattach the panel?”

“I watched you dismounted the panel, and I think I can put it back together,” I nodded.

“Then do it. I’ll do another panel, and when I’m done, you reattach it. Comprende?”

“Si, soy comprende,” I replied instinctively, and once again I was surprised at what I just did. But I decided to let it go. From the corner of my eyes I watched Cedro throwing a perplexed look at me, but I pretended that I did not notice him. I took the nuts and bolts that Cedro left scattering on the floor, and started to mount them on the BattleMech’s leg. It was hard at first, but after the third bolt, I thought I could survive being a 'Mech technician.

For now, at least.

[edit] THREE

Hogye, Engadine,
Melissa Theater, Lyran Alliance,
March 25, 3058

Working as a technician assistant was not that bad. Over the course of five days I had learned four things: one, BattleMech repair and maintenance; two, Hogye did have authorities (a mayor and a sheriff), but in the street, the tyrannical Hunt Lance of CAMR was the ruler; three, Cedro was obnoxiously loquacious but honest, which served my purpose best if I wanted information; and four, Engadine was more than 50 parsecs away from Tharkad, the capital of the Lyran Alliance. No one would hear our plea for help, even if we screamed it until we lost our voice. Cedro told me that the closest help we could get was the Morrison’s Extractor, only a jump away from Engadine. But what was the point of getting help from other mercenaries?

“Why do you keep staying at Hogye?” I asked Nurse Lin while she was prepping up a box of drugs. “Life has been cruel to you these past few years. There are other worlds that promise wealth, dignity, and future. I do not see them in Hogye.”

“You don’t understand.” She turned to me. “We had a life, a rich and abundant life, several years ago. I was still a kid back then, but I vividly remember how festive Hogye was in the heat of The Rooting. Rich counts, barons, dukes, earls, princes and princesses came down to this little town to test their virility against the forces of nature. Then the Clans took them away. Suddenly those genetically engineered bastards became more appealing targets than the nolans. What makes a better target than a clone inside an unstoppable war machine?”

“Are you blaming this situation on the Clans?”

“Can I not?” A hue of cynicism and desperation adorned her voice. “They were the ones that abandoned Terra hundreds of years ago! They and their holier-than-God code of honor! Who do they think they are, fighting us like we are some kind of pests? They have no right to reclaim Terra!”

“What about the Viper and his lance?” I asked. “Are you letting them take away your dignity?”

“In time, my new friend, in time,” Nurse Lin tapped my shoulder. “When we drive every single Clanner out of the Inner Sphere, and kill those who persist. When we beat the Clans, we can have The Rooting again. Then we don’t need the CAMR anymore.” She turned around and grabbed the box she had been working on for the last hour. “I need to take these drugs to Kinst,” Nurse Lin stated. “I don’t mean to cut our conversation short, but I really have to go. Why don’t you go home? It’s late, and you’ll need to be fresh tomorrow.”

“Very well,” I got up and bid her farewell. “I will see you tomorrow.”

As Nurse Lin walked toward a jeep, I started thinking about the Clans. They had ruined the harmony of life in Hogye. Those war-like people had never come to Hogye, but their invasion in 3050-3052 virtually destroyed Hogye’s infrastructure. I sympathized for these simple people. I wish I could remember something about the Clans from my previous life. I must have had encountered them, one way or another. Everybody did.

I had not walked long when I heard a ruckus on the side of the road. I was so caught up with my thinking that I did not realize where I was walking. I was in the countryside, and five large men were standing at the gate of a house. Judging from their outfit, I could guess that these were the mercenaries. A little man, who I conjectured to be the host, stood just inside the gate. People from other houses peered from their window, but it was clear that they preferred being invisible to lending a hand for the little man.

As I walked closer, I noticed that the little man was Cedro. His voice and his gesture told me that he was being pressured by the mercenaries. And one of them was, the Viper himself, escorted by four other men. The distinct alcohol stench in their breaths told me that they were intoxicated.

“It is not my problem!” the Viper boomed. “I want my 'Mech done now!”

“Senor Viper, tenga misericordia, por favor,” Cedro replied, a slight tension was imminent in his voice. “My son is sick. He needs me at home.”

“Hey, you are the one who promised to give us free repairs!” the Viper advanced even more. “It is insulting enough for me to come to your cabin. Now get your ass moving and take care of my 'Mech!”

“I swear I will do it first time in the morning,” Cedro said, half pleading. “But my son needs me.”

“And other people don’t?” the Viper started to ramble. “I’m risking my ass everyday, and you can’t give me a little respect? See what you’ll do if I pull out my troops out of this little sinkhole, you ungrateful maggot!”

It was enough. I could not tolerate him anymore. He had been insulting everybody that he met, everybody that did his order wholeheartedly, everybody that just would not stand up because they needed him. I felt this carnal desire overwhelm my mind, blocking my common sense, and urging me to stand up for the Hogye countrymen. I knew how important the Hunt Lance was to Hogye, but I did not care anymore. All I wanted was to stop the Viper’s atrocities. So I walked by and said, “Sir, I can take care of your 'Mech. Mr. Cedro taught me a lot of things. I am just as capable as he is.”

As I expected, the big man turned to me, and his stare looked like a thousand knives flying straight into my heart. “Who the hell ask you to speak? Get out of my face, you moron!”

“Sir,” I took a deep breath, “Mr. Cedro has worked long days for you. Please, respect his wish to stay with his family.”

“Respect?” the Viper screamed his lung out. “RESPECT? What do you know about respect, you sonofabitch! Here, I’ll show you respect!”

The big man cocked his right arm, and catapulted his fist toward my face. This is unexpected. I never thought that he would take it this far. But I did not know how to react. I could see his fist as it flew toward my face, and I even knew where it would hit me. But I did not do anything. I just waited until it hit me right under my right eye. A sting of pain surged into my face, and I could feel my head jerked behind. The Viper was a big man, and he surely knew how to punch. I felt my skin thickened under my right eye. But I mustered all energy to stay upright.

“You’re a tough guy, aren’t you boy?” he mocked me while taking up a fighting stance. “Let’s see how you handle this!”

He swung his club-like arm again. His movement was slow and predictable. However, I did not flinch. I never expected a fight, and now that I had one, I did not know how to get out. I let his fist hit my face again, this time on my left cheek. I could feel the crack on my jaw, and I could taste the saltiness of blood when the fist impacted. The momentum threw me back two steps behind. I felt my neck strained to sustain his hit. But I absorbed it. The mercenary leader chuckled, thinking that I was nothing different than any other Hogye’s citizens that would not stand up against him.

“Parker!” Cedro screamed in panic. “Senor Viper, stop it! You’ll kill him!”

But instead the Viper launched another shot at me. This time, it was serious. He used his waist as a gyro when he swung his right arm. This punch was ten times harder than the previous two. It was a lethal punch that could put me in hell. I could not let this blow hit me. And something moved me out of the way. When his arm swooshed in front of my face, my right hand impulsively grabbed it and twisted it down. Then my left elbow, as if moving by its own will, sank into the back of his elbow.

The result was devastating. A loud crack ensued, and blood sprayed into my pants. The Viper’s elbow was shattered, and two of his arm bones busted out of his cartilage, tearing out his skin.

“Arrgh! My arm!” the Viper screamed while holding his arm. “Kill him!”

The four men that came with the Viper boxed me and drew their pocketknives. They moved in on me with their knives pointing at my midst. One of them lunged forward and shoved his knives at my midsection. I sidestepped to the right, letting the knives flew inches in front of my body, then raised up my left knee. I did not even have to kick. His momentum brought him straight at my knee, and before he knew it, my knee gouged his solar plexus. I heard a muffled scream and gastric fluid sprayed from his mouth. He fell on his knees, gasping for air while doubling over to ease the pain.

Another one came at me from behind, using up his advantage. His movement was predictable and slow, so slow I could see where he was planning to jam his knife. He was attacking my left shoulder. So I ducked low and kicked his ankle. His left foot twitched, and he lost his momentum before crashing to the ground. I got up, and another one was already in a position to stab me. I raised my hand to stop the blade, then jammed my right leg into his crotch. His knees buckled as he keeled over, and his face turned pale before sinking into the dusty ground, whimpering like a puppy.

The last one decided not to press the attack, and helped his friends to escape the scene. I stood there, totally befuddled by what just happened. I just knocked out four highly charged mercenaries, warriors that fought for a living. I never knew I had it in me. The way I fought my battle gave me the creeps. How did I know those maneuvers? Did I go through a military training in my past? Or maybe it was the mercenaries that were just too drunk to fight? Anybody, including Cedro, could easily do what I just did.

The fight had awakened the neighborhood, and as the last attacker hit the ground, I was surrounded by dozens of spectators, including some children. The adults stared at me with venom, because they knew what would come up from this fight. But the children gave me smiles. They knew that one day somebody would stand up against the mercenary scoundrels, and for tonight, it was worth the watch.

Then came this man, wearing a drab tan uniform with a star on right chest. He had a gun on his belt, and it was the first time I saw a man with a gun since I woke up at Hogye. He must have been the sheriff. He was in his early forties but clearly well exercised. He curtly grabbed my arms and forced me to lean on the hood of the jeep, grumbling, “What the hell did you do? Do you realize what you’ve just done?”

“Sheriff, I was just trying to help Mr. Cedro,” I complained.

“Yeah? How? By breaching the contract with the CAMR?” the sheriff snapped.

“Hauptmann Viveros wanted Mr. Cedro to fix his 'Mech tonight, but Cedro’s son is sick. I offered them my service, but instead they attacked me. Mr. Cedro can validate my claim.” Much to my dismay, Cedro dipped his head to his chest, and without looking at me, he weakly said, “Senor Viper and I were having a little disagreement, that’s all.”

“That’s what I thought!” the sheriff snarled, then cuffed my hands behind the back. “Now get up, big guy! See if you can stand my brig! Cedro, you come along!” The sheriff hauled me to his car and put me in the back seat. He dismissed the crowd, and drove to his office. I could not understand these people. I fought for them. I took the blows for them. And for that, they treated me like a criminal. I understood that I might have breached the contract between the CAMRs and Hogye, but I refused to believe that the CAMR mercenaries were the only solution to Hogye’s problem.

As we arrived at the sheriff office, the sheriff hauled me to the jail and started a long questioning for Cedro. Through the cell bars I could hear the mechanic explained over and over about what happened. He was insistent that I was the one that started the fight, not the mercenaries. He never said anything about being forced to leave his sick son. I could hear people murmuring outside the office, waiting for the sheriff to handle this situation. But the aura in the sheriff told me how serious this matter was.

I felt like a complete idiot.

Then somebody else came into the office. She was a woman, clearly in the mid forties, and I could see from her gait that she held a high position in Hogye. She inspected the office, and quickly caught the intense atmosphere inside. She threw a quick look at Cedro, then came to the sheriff’s attention. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“Our ‘visitor’ mauled the Viper and his goons,” the sheriff explained.

“How bad?”

The sheriff did not answer. A simple headshake was enough for the lady to understand the gravity of the situation.

“Senor Viper and I were having a conversation,” Cedro tried to defend me. “He wanted me to work on his 'Mech tonight. Out of nowhere Parker came and got Senor Viper really, really mad. Then they got onto a fight. What’s gonna happen to us now, Senorita?” “I don’t know,” the mayor stated, looking at me with pity. “But are you sure you were just talking, and nothing else?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the sheriff shot a perplexed look at the mayor. “Are you taking his side?”

“Just want to be sure about what really happened…”

Before the mayor could finish her sentence, two men and a woman entered the office. By the way they dressed up, I knew that they were the rest of the Hunt Lance. And I knew that they came to avenge their commander. They swept the office with their eyes, and when they spotted me, they lowered their hands to grab their knives. But before everything went out of control, the sheriff drew his gun and cocked the hammer. The ‘click’ sound served as a warning for the mercenaries. They stepped back, and one of them walked toward the mayor. He was a young man, barely passed his twenties. But being the spokesman for the mercenaries, in the absent of the Viper, showed his inner strength. He might be the best MechWarrior in the Hunt Lance, even better than the Viper.

“My name is Wade Avery, second-in-command of CAMR Hunt Lance,” the man spoke arrogantly. His posture showed no respect whatsoever to the middle-aged mayor. “This is John Hunter and Evee Ridinghood, my lance mates. I am speaking on behalf of Hauptmann ‘Viper’ Viveros. As we both know, our commanding officer was mauled by the outsider under your protection. Hauptmann Viveros suffered a severe broken arm, and three other MechWarriors were also beaten. I want the perpetrator to be held responsible…”

“You shall get your justice,” the mayor boldly interjected. “Parker will be detained here while Sheriff Fercyn conducts investigation of this matter.”

“I don’t need investigation, old lady,” Wade said curtly. “That man brutally attacked and bludgeoned my commander along with three of my lance mates. I don’t want your justice. I want my justice… a warrior’s justice!”

“Bludgeon is a rather strong word, Mister Avery,” the mayor replied. “And neither of us saw what really happened, so let’s wait until the investigation is finished. Parker will stay here until we can settle our differences about it. You are welcome to contribute to the investigation, but until then, he stays!”

“I thought we had an understanding,” Wade hissed.

“The way I understand our contract, Mister Avery, is that you take care of the nolans while my people provide you with everything you need. If you try to interfere with our justice system, you are breaching our contract. If I report your conduct to the CO of CAMR, he may revoke your privilege and your 'Mechs.” With a defiant smirk the mayor approached the mercenary. “Your choice. And if you think that I am bluffing, you are sadly mistaken.”

It was clear that the mercenary was not a good negotiator, but a persistent warrior. He paused for a moment, pulling himself together, then spoke with a venomous tone, “You have one week to hand him over. I will withdraw the CAMR forces from Hogye, and I will come back seven days from now. Should you decide to retain him, I will flatten Hogye until no stone is left on another. That is, if the nolans haven’t gotten you first. Now excuse me.”

As the mercenaries left, the mayor and the sheriff looked at each other as if they were discussing something. The sheriff’s eyes were raging with rage and desperation, and his face flushed in a reddish hue. The mayor maintained her cool attitude, although I captured a glint of doom in her eyes.

“How could you possibly choose the outsider over your own people?” the sheriff roared, his hands clenched so hard I could hear his knuckles cracking. “Just give them what they want!”

“They’ll kill Parker,” the mayor replied calmly but firmly.

“So what? It’s better him than us!”

“If I didn’t know you better, I’d hold you accountable for that comment!” the mayor snarled.

“Why not?” the sheriff rebuked curtly. “He’s ruining everything! Because of him, the CAMR left Hogye. We are defenseless against the nolans without them. That’s what I’m concern about, because that’s my job! And you have made my job so much more difficult than it should be! What do you see in him that make you think he’s worth more than Hogye’s citizens?”

“It’s my job to nurture everybody that needs help.” The mayor paused to take a deep breath, then spoke slowly, “The Hunt Lance won’t leave Hogye until tomorrow. I suggest you start doing your job and plan your defense against the nolans.” The sheriff shot a fiery stare at the mayor, then left the office. The mayor looked at me and Cedro interchangeably before walking toward my cell. After what happened to her and the entire town of Hogye, it was remarkable that she could maintain such a calm attitude.

“I don’t think we’re properly introduced,” she spoke to me without any sign of feelings. “I am Mayor Megi. I see that you and Cedro have made quite an acquaintance. And I see that you met Sheriff Fercyn. Don’t get him wrong. He’s a temperamental old dog, but inside he’s a good man.”

“Mayor, I never meant this to happen,” I said sincerely. “I only meant to help…”

“I know…” Mayor Megi nodded. “Still, you’ve damaged us more than you helped us.”

“Then why did you hold me?” I asked, completely puzzled. “You could have sent me to the CAMR and fixed the damages I did. You could have saved the whole town.”

“No redemption should be made upon another’s blood,” the mayor sighed. “The damages had been done since the first day the Hunt Lance came to Hogye. Now stay here and behave. I’ll see if I can help Fercyn. Cedro, why don’t you come with me.”

The mayor went out of the office, followed by the mechanic. He shot a quick glance at me before leaving me alone in the sheriff’s office. I caught his glance, filled with regret and sorrow. But he quickly got out of the office, and I was alone, locked up in a cell.

[edit] FOUR

Sheriff’s Office,
Hogye, Engadine,
Melissa Theater, Lyran Alliance,
March 30, 3058

Five days was a very long period, especially if you sat in a 2-by-3 meter cell and did nothing. Sheriff Fercyn was hardly in his office, and when he was, he just stared at me with hate-filled eyes.. Mayor Megi visited me once in a while, but her focus was the safety of her people. Not even Cedro, the man I stood up for, bothered to come by. My only regular visitor was Nurse Lin. She came twice a day, in the morning before she went to the hospital, and in the evening after she was done with her chores. She was the only one that had not condemned my stunt against the CAMR, the stunt that ultimately put Hogye into peril.

Nurse Lin kept me up to date with what happened outside the bars. Since the Hunt Lance left Hogye, nolan’s activities had increased, which proved her statement that nolans were intelligent beings. I eavesdropped on a conversation between Megi and Fercyn discussing that, in the event of nolans attacking Hogye, all civilians should go the city hall. Fercyn would single-handedly defend the city hall with his BattleMech, while several trained citizens wearing their Cutlass battle armor would guard the building from the inside, in case the nolans broke through Fercyn’s defense. This plan was deemed best for everyone.

Sadly, everyone but me.

Tonight was the second time Nurse Lin did not visit me. I knew that the nolans had overwhelmed Hogye, and all citizens took refuge on the city hall. All night long, I heard shuffling sounds on the office roof. I knew that the nolans smelled my presence, and they were trying to get into the office. Nurse Lin always said that the nolans were intelligent and cunning predators, and if that was true, they must have been taking precautions. They must have known, scouted, or saw that this place was the home for the only BattleMech left in Hogye, and they were no match for the BattleMech.

I knew that Hogye citizens had taken refuge in the city hall, and nobody would fetch me. I knew that I was alone. In order to survive against the nolans, I had to exploit their weaknesses. But I had never seen a nolan before. So until I saw one, I decided to stay in the cell. This cell provided a strong defense for me while I observed the situation and determined the best action for my own sake.

The nolans sniffed the office all night long, and when dawn broke, they were sure that the 'Mech would not return to its home. They were ready to make their move. I heard them receding from the roof methodically, then I heard nothing of them. It was quiet for about half an hour, and when the sun started to shine, I heard creaks from the door. Behind it, I saw two humanoid shadows, and I heard sharp breaths huffing from their orifices. Moments later the shadows moved cautiously into the room, and for the first time, I stood face to face with the natives of planet Engadine.

They were tall, easily twice as tall as me. They had three long, sharp talons on each hand. Their bodies were covered with thick sable hide. I could see their eyes on their squat head. They were black, cold, dark, but sparkling with intelligence. They scanned from side to side, making sure that I was the only one in the room, then they moved slowly toward me. I could hear mischievous growls from their short snouts, like they were taunting me.

I was scared. I felt my knees trembling and cold sweat beading at the back of my neck. But I knew I could not let my fear take control of my body. I had to find a strategy to exploit their weaknesses. The nolans were big and lanky, so I assumed they were slow and vulnerable to low blows. They had long arms and talons, which I suspected to be their primary weapons. They would swing their arms to cut me to pieces. Arm swinging, though powerful, was slow, which might give me time defend myself. I had no weapons to threaten them with. A vague memory twitched in my mind with the image of a campfire.

Fire.

As they approached the cell, I looked around to see if I could start a fire. My rudimentary bed was an excellent fuel. All I needed to have was a match or a zippo. Luckily, Sheriff Fercyn was a smoker. There were cigarettes and a lighter scattered on the table. Unfortunately they were out of my reach. I had to find a way to reach them before the nolans shredded me with their talons.

By this time, the nolans had reached the cell door. They smelled me, and they smelled my fear. They could not reach me inside the cell, so they banged the bars with their talons. I witnessed their impressive power with awe as the ceilings started to crumble. They jarred the bars again, and the bars screamed. Parts of the ceiling plummeted to the ground as the steel bars twisted under the assault of the two nolans. They were so close to me that I could feel their hot breaths. I could see trains of sharp teeth on their face as they hammered the bars.

I lowered my posture and bent my legs to my chest, ready to make a hasty escape once the bars went down. My heart was pounding in my ears, racing with the nolan’s breath. As the nolans gave their final push, the bars collapsed, and I fired my muscles as hard as I could, keeping my posture low. The closest nolan swung its long arm, trying to catch me with its claws. The arm whooshed inches away from my face, and for a moment I thought the nolan got me. I slid on the floor, and as the nolans pivoted, I got up and quickly snatched the lighter from the table.

I realized now a fault in my plan. I had a lighter, but the bed was back in the cell, with the nolans between me and it. They started advancing toward me, and I could see their eyes full of rage and fury. I glanced behind me and saw the open door. I had a chance to escape.

But I did not turn.

Something burned at me from the inside. It was a carnal feeling, just like the one before I broke the Viper’s arm five days ago. I knew the odds were overwhelming, but something would not let me run from these two predators.

So I stripped my shirt and set it afire. The nolans stopped their advance, watching the cloth in my hand turning into a blazing rag. They knew the fire would hurt them. I realized I only had a moment or two, and then my advantage would be gone. So I had to act fast. I jumped toward them, and I flung my flaming shirt at one of the nolans. The tall beast swerved to the left to dodge the flame, but instead rammed the other nolan. They tripped on the bars, and together they tumbled onto the bed, the fiery shirt still stuck on a shoulder and blazing away. The bed held them for a second, then collapsed under their weight, the concussion of its impact on the floor stunning the creatures.

The shirt fell onto the ratty blanket, which quickly ingnited. My brain was working at light speed as I scanned the room. Somehow I had missed the half full bottle of whiskey the sheriff had been working on the last few days. I grabbed it off the counter and whizzed it over the wiggling nolans and watched it smash into the wall, spraying their bodies with fuel for the bonfire.

The room reverberated with agonizing cries as the two nolans writhed, flaming, trying to get up. But their big statures and erratic movements thwarted their attempt to get out of the fire quickly. As they squirmed, I quickly ran toward the cabinets, hoping to find some sort of weapon. There were only papers on the cabinet. I rummaged the drawer of the table, and I found a small, rusty pocketknife. It might not sharp enough to pierce the nolan’s skin, but it would sure enough burst an eyeball.

Meanwhile, the two nolans had finally risen. The fire was still burning somewhat but was more sputtering smoke and now ………..they were pissed!

Red blotches covered their upper bodies, the gooey sign of burn wounds. Their black eyes were flaming, just like the wall that started to burn. They picked up a fighting stance and extended their arms, showing off their foot-long nails. I stood still and waited for them to come to me.

One of the nolans lunged forward and swung at me. I ducked hard, almost touching my chin to the ground, letting the big long arm swerved inches away from my head. The other one joined in with a massive overhead swing. I jerked backward as hard as I could, and the three steel-hard talons sunk into the floor. I could not believe how sharp they were. But there was no time to admire this predator. The nolan was in a crouching position, exposing its upper body to me. I knew it was my time. I lunged forward and jammed my measly pocketknife into its right eye. The giant let out an excruciating roar while covering its right eye. Greenish fluid trickled in between its claws. It stumbled by the sheriff’s desk and careened to the ground, knocking out the cabinet on the wall.

The other one jumped at me at full speed. I flinched as had as I could, but the tip of its claws gouged my bare chest. I felt chunks of flesh being ripped out of my body. I lost my balance and slouched to the floor. Three long wounds adorned my chest, which started to ooze blood. I felt a sting of pain running through my entire body. I bit my lips to ease the pain, but every move I made felt like a dozen knives on my chest. I slowly got up, and saw the nolan was already in position for the next attack. Its eyes twinkled with excitement. It knew I was hurt, and the smell of my blood gave it a boost to end this fight quickly so that it could feast on my flesh.

As I got up, I realized that the floor was covered almost entirely by paper from the knocked over cabinet. The other nolan, the one I blinded, managed to get up and now took the attack position, as if its punctured eye did not bother it a bit. For a moment I wondered why I took on these two savage beasts when I had a chance to escape. Did this have something to do with my past? If yes, then what was I before? What did I do for a living, that I moronically fought two nolans barehanded? These questions spun in my head while the nolans inched toward me.

The half-blinded nolan leapt forward and tried to clobber me. I mustered all energy to dodge that attack, and I jumped toward the tumbled desk. The other nolan followed suit with a mighty swing. I rolled to the side, and the sheriff’s desk flew to the wall, swept by the awesome power of the nolan. I quickly got up, and I realized that I was standing near the flaming bed. The fire had consumed the wall, and it was a matter of time before the entire building burned to cinders. Disregarding pain, I stripped the half-dusted bed cloth and hurled it toward the nolans. The flame incinerated the papers on the floor, and within seconds, the papers caught fire.

As the nolans retreated in panic, I spotted a loose bar from the jail that was knocked down by the predators. One of the edges was already glowing red from extended exposure to fire. I picked it up, and I brought the battle to the nolans. I drove the hot steel bar into the gut of one nolan. The bar went cleanly into the belly, and exited at the back, close to the vertebrae. The nolan bellowed horrifically, then swerved its arm to ward me off. I sidestepped to the right, and its claws jammed into the floor. The beast yanked its arms up, and two of its talons broke. The talons were about a foot long, so even after breaking halfway, they were still impressively long. And they were sharper than any blades I had ever seen.

Now I had their weapons.

I picked up one of the broken talons and quickly stabbed it into the nolan’s belly. The talon went in without much resistance. Then I made a curve, slicing half of the nolan’s abdomen. A glob of innards burst out of the wound, spilling into the floor. The nolan cried a long perilous scream as it went down to its knees, trying to stop its guts from spilling out of its body. But the more it moved, the more entrails it lost.

The half-blinded nolan stood in shock, watching its kin struggling with its bowels. This gave me a chance to attack. I swung to the back and stabbed the back of its feet, slicing its achilles tendons. It screamed and dropped to the floor, wailing and writhing to get rid of the fire. Kneeling, its head was as high as my shoulder, so I swung the talon at its neck. But its neck was almost as big as my body. I only cut off half of its neck. Green fluid jetted out of the wound, and the nolan thrashed uncontrollably, flinging its limbs in every direction. But it quickly lost its power and crashed to the floor, breathing erratically for several moments, then stopping altogether.

By that time, the sheriff’s office had set ablaze. Smoke obscured my vision, and the heat had made my head spin. I knew it would crumble any minute, so I had to work quickly. I cut the remaining neck of the half-blinded nolan, then approached the other one. It was still alive, swimming on its own body fluid, gasping for air, watching me come with a look of defeat in its eyes. I ended its misery by cutting off its head Then I took both of my trophies and headed out into the street.

The cold air outside gave me another sting at my chest. For the first time in five days, I was out again, and it was the first time I saw what happened. The town was virtually empty. I did not see a single human, only dark shadows that were nolans. In the distance stood Fercyn’s Commando, loitering about the city hall where the entire population of Hogye stayed. The nolans kept the distance far enough from the 'Mech’s longest weapon.

The moment I stepped out of the burning office, Hogye stirred to life. The nolans smelled my blood, and started to box me from all direction. I knew I did not have a chance against a horde of these ravenous creatures, but I might have something to destroy their morale. I halted and waited until the nolans got closer. I counted no less than three dozen nolans coming toward me. I could hear their rasping breaths. When they reached five meters from my position, I hurled the two nolan heads to the ground in front of me.

As I hoped, the nolans stopped their advances. They looked at me with wonder, awe, and respect. Yes, respect. I could see it clearly in their eyes. They stood still for some time, then retreated methodically into the jungle near the town, leaving me alone with the two heads.

I was tired, hurt, and cold. My torso was soaked with blood. My vision started to tunnel down, and I careened to the ground. Torn between consciousness and oblivion, I felt several hands grabbed me and covered my body with cloth. I could hear the voice of Dr. Kim and Nurse Lin. I did not know if it was my hallucination, but next thing I knew, I was inside the city hall, lying on a warm bedding on a table. A myriad of people gathered around me, including Mayor Megi, Dr. Kim, Nurse Lin, and Cedro.

“How messed up am I?” I whispered.

“Very much,” Dr. Kim replied, “but not enough to kill you. You’ll get up before you know it.”

“The nolans?”

“Gone,” Nurse Lin said. “They’ve given us another day.”

“We must maintain the momentum,” I mumbled while trying to get up. “We have to strike them before they can regroup and find…”

“You’ve done enough for today,” Megi said, pushing me back to the table. “No one has killed two nolans… barehanded. You’ve set a standard on how we have to fight for ourselves, Parker. But let’s leave that for tomorrow. You need rest.”

I could not agree with her more. After staying alert all night and battling the beasts in the morning, I felt my body did not have energy left. I surrendered to the comfort of sleep.

[edit] FIVE

Mayor’s Office, City Hall,
Hogye, Engadine,
Melissa Theater, Lyran Alliance,
March 31, 3058

“Like I mentioned before, we have to maintain our momentum. The nolans are confused, momentarily panicked, and retreating. This is the best time to strike them. Even if we do not kill many nolans, at least we give them a strong message: we are not afraid of them.”

By this time, I was confident that I had intense military training in my previous life. It was the only logic behind my aggressive yet methodical behavior. My barbaric stunts against the CAMR and the nolans spoke for themselves. Riding this wave of respect from the townspeople, I asked them to listen to my plan to solve the nolan threat without the mercenary’s aid. The nolans, though fearsome, were flesh and blood. I had proven that they could be killed by a human not piloting a BattleMech. I wanted to prove to Hogye citizens that they did not need the CAMR to defend them against the predators.

But the problem was: the people of Hogye were not ready to think and act militaristically. The broad city hall, quiet as a graveyard when I put my thoughts forward, suddenly erupted into dissonance. It was hard to hear what they were saying, because they yelled and grumbled at the same time. But I caught their main idea. These simple people had been isolated from weapons and strategy for years. My simplest, rudimentary tactic felt so foreign to them that they considered it almost blasphemous. I had asked for only five minutes of their time. Now it seemed that I would need it a lot longer.

“Doesn’t it occur to you that we don’t have the necessary weapons to quench this bloodlust of yours?” a curt response rose up from the crowd.

“We can make weapons,” I replied confidently. “In fact, we may have BattleMechs, but weapons and BattleMechs do not kill nolans. We, humans, do.”

“Cojeda tu, vos guevon pendeja!” Trejo yelled, advancing toward me with blazing eyes. “The Hunt Lance left Hogye because of you, and now you want us to fight the nolans ourselves! Loco, mucho loco! You’re the one who are responsible for this mess, so you do the fighting, not us! I refuse to take part in this insanity, and I ask every other Hogye citizen to rally behind me!”

“Fercyn, escort this chickenshit out of my city hall!” Mayor Megi suddenly blurted.

“What?” Trejo’s head snapped, not expecting Megi to stand against him. “Senorita Megi…”

“You heard the lady, Senor,” Fercyn hissed. “You can walk out of here and save yourself from humiliation, or I’ll drag your ass so hard you won’t be able to sit for a week.”

Trejo looked at Megi, Fercyn, and me interchangeably, trying to comprehend the sudden change of situation. But he knew that he did not have a choice, so he walked briskly, muttering profanities too disgusting to mention. All eyes followed the manager of the 'Mech garage until he disappeared behind the door.

“Now look at the reality, Parker,” Megi came to me. “No one in Hogye is like you. We are just ordinary citizens. Most of us haven’t shot a gun before. You can’t expect us to run your battle scheme, because we are not warriors. We just don’t have the weapons, the skill, and the heart.”

“I can not give you the heart, but I will give you the skill,” I stated sincerely. “And Mr. Cedro mentioned about the Cutlass battle armors. We can use them.”

“There are only eight units of them, two are barely operational,” Cedro raised his voice. “What can we do with eight battle armors?”

“We do not have to make them extinct. This is not a Rooting. We just have to strike them back to show them that we are not afraid of them. Fear is what fuels their rampage on Hogye. Strike them and fear will be theirs.”

“How do we know that this is not your ploy to get out of Hogye?” Fercyn joined in. “The Hunt Lance is coming tomorrow. How can we be sure that you are not trying to escape the Hunt Lance by planning this strategy?”

It was a hard question to answer. I did not blame them for thinking ill of me. I screwed them once, and it was hard to regain their trust. I had to choose my words carefully. “I can not give you more than my words, Sheriff Fercyn,” I said slowly. “But please consider that I had a chance to escape when you left me to die in the hands of the nolans. I did not take that opportunity. Instead, I made them leave Hogye, and I am still here devising this plan, so you will never depend on the CAMR again.”

The city hall was suddenly quiet. I had gained their attention.

“This is my plan: I will lead seven of your ablest men in Cutlass battle armors to attack the nolan’s stronghold. We only hunt them down as long as we do not put ourselves in danger. So stay close to me, and do exactly what I say. I promise, I will bring everybody home. If this plan fails, then I will surrender myself to the Hunt Lance so they can resume the contract with you. If it succeeds, then…” I paused for a moment, giving them a chance to grasp the most important thing of this plan. “If this plan succeeds, then you get yourself an army.”

“An army of eight?” Fercyn skeptically scoffed. “What can you do with an army of eight?”

“End the contract with the CAMR,” I could not help but smile. “Then you are forever independent. Is it not your wildest dream, Sheriff Fercyn, to take control of your own fate? Do you not want to go back to Hogye’s golden age? Building an army is the first step to reclaim everything that had been lost because of the Clan invasion. It is a small army, but it is yours to command.”

I could see in Fercyn’s eyes that he started to see the light in my idea. The city hall broke out in murmurs, and I sensed energy rise up from the crowd. I could feel their trust growing. Of course, if this plan ended up in catastrophe, they would certainly kill me. But it was a risk I could not avoid if I wanted to see them free from the nolans and the despotic Hunt Lance of the CAMR.

As they bathed in high spirit, I took a step back and wondered what I was doing here. These people were certainly not my kin. I did not act like any of them, and they certainly got on my nerves with their slow, retarded way of thinking. But here I was, trying to help them get on their own feet. I wondered where this soft nature came from, considering how violent I was against the CAMR and the nolans.

Maybe I was just being appreciative.

“A good plan, Parker, but I can’t let you do it today,” Megi spoke after a long hiatus.

“We do not have time, Mayor,” I argued. “The Hunt Lance will come tomorrow…”

“I’ll deal with the Hunt Lance,” Megi interjected. “You can’t go with those wounds. If you want to do it, you’re doing it in three days.”

“Three days? We are losing the momentum in three days…”

“Three days, or there will be no hunting at all!” Megi fizzled. “We both know that you’re an avatar, Parker. But you’re only human. So stop being turgid and start acting like you’re supposed to be. I’ll let Doctor Kim take a good care of you. Cedro, you have three days to fix the battle armors to nominal condition. Fercyn, come with me. Let’s discuss our plan to deal with the Hunt Lance.”

“Si, Senorita,” the small mechanic rose to his feet. “Coming right up.”

I wanted to rebuke. I was hurt, but I could not afford to rest for three days. The nolans might have been regrouped in three days. We were wasting the momentum. But I realized that Megi had the last call on this matter. She was the mayor, the leader of Hogye, and I could not get around her authority, no matter how imperative it was to press on the attack. I just had to wait for three days.

While I was developing a new strategy, Dr. Kim and Nurse Lin came to check on my stitches. The doctor shook his head, muttering, “You are one doggone sonofabitch, you know that? You can’t go out hunting like this! You’d be jeopardizing yourself and your “army”, if that’s what you want to call them.”

“I am just trying to help,” I argued.

“We know, we know,” Nurse Lin replied while gauzing my stitches. “And we appreciate what you’re doing for us. But if you’re taken down, the others will be lost. They don’t know what they’re doing, and they’ll look up to you. You have to be in pristine condition when you lead your men to battle. And by pristine I mean not only your body, but your mind as well.”

I conceded. I could not assume that these people were commando units who dared to wade through fire with minimal protection. They were just ordinary citizens. I might have worked with elite soldiers in my past, but it was not the case with Hogye citizens. I had to devise a plan feasible for these people, while maintaining the standard that I would set for myself. And fortunately, I had three days to do that.

“There, you’re all fixed up,” Nurse Lin stated. “I know you’re hot-blooded, but try to be timid for three days to heal completely. If there is any problem with the stitches, you can call me or Dr. Kim.”

“I will,” I said, forcing myself to smile. As I got up, Cedro came to me. I knew what he wanted to say, but I let him do it anyway.

“I am sorry about what happened last week,” Cedro said, his eyes were gloom with regrets. “It was very kind of you to defend me, but in return I speak ill of you. You didn’t deserve it.”

“I understand,” I replied truthfully. “You were scared. After today, you will not afraid of anything anymore. This much I promise you.”

Outskirts of Hogye, Engadine,
Melissa Theater, Lyran Alliance,
April 1, 3058

The discordant steps of BattleMech feet vibrated through the ground. They were scant at first, more like heartbeats, but as time went by they became quakes that rattled the windows of Fercyn’s car. In the distance, the lumbering shadows of three BattleMechs advanced toward Hogye. The CAMR Hunt Lance had come to avenge their leader, bringing with them the entire tank company to back them up.

I sat in the back seat of Fercyn’s car, with a chain on my wrists, watching these lethal machines wade through the light forest. The biggest one was a short 'Mech, with long-barrelled arms and a missile tube on its left torso. The other two were humanoid, with multiple missile tubes on their torsos and barreled guns as their lower arms. The tanks prowled through the forest in line formations, giving them a wide firing arc. Their armors gleamed under the morning sun, and if they had come with any intention other than to collect me, I might have enjoyed the view.

About 100 meters from where we parked, the BattleMechs stopped their advance, and regrouped in line formation. They stood shoulder to shoulder, with all guns trained toward Hogye. It was intimidating and scary. I did not know if these people were capable of doing something dishonorable, like killing unarmed civilians, or not. Personally, I would prefer them as far away from Hogye as possible, but Mayor Megi and Sheriff Fercyn had another thing in mind. I just hoped that whatever it was, it had been thoroughly considered.

“Alright guys, it’s showtime,” Megi said, and walked from the car.

Sheriff Fercyn cocked his sidearm, then assisted me out of the vehicle. Together we walked toward the BattleMech line. The canopy of the largest BattleMech popped open, and the pilot climbed down. It was the Hunt Lance second-in-command, Wade Avery. The pilots on his right and left side also exited their 'Mechs and accompanied him to the ground. They met us right in the center between their 'Mechs and Fercyn’s car.

“I wish the Viper were man enough to come here and ask himself,” Megi said.

“Hauptmann Viveros is still undergoing medical treatment,” Wade replied tersely. “And don’t try to be cute with me, Mayor. With a flick of my finger, my war machines will advance toward Hogye and destroy everything. The only way you can prevent that is by giving me him.” He pointed at me.

“We are not done with our investigation,” Fercyn answered back. “I can’t confirm your story that this man bludgeoned your commander. It would appear that Hauptman Viveros drew the first blood. We need two more weeks.”

“Two more weeks? Do you think I’m stupid enough to withstand this joke?” Wade made a small advance, causing Fercyn to graze his pistol with his thumb. “What is he to you that you put everybody in my crosshairs just to save him?”

“It’s not even his words, Mr. Avery,” Megi spoke sternly. “Words on the street are very much different from your claim. Your drunken commander harassed the tech that has been faithfully obeying his command. Parker offered his service, and in return, the Viper attacked him. When he could not defeat him, he ordered the others to swarm him… with knives! I don’t know what you name such an act, but I call it cowardice.”

“You lying bitch,” Wade harshly snapped, and he raised his right hand to cue his lancemates to attack Hogye. “There’s no way Hogye citizens have the balls to say that!”

“Oh, but they do, Mr. Avery,” Megi continued with incredible self-control. “Do you know how big Cedro is? The man your commander insulted in front of his family? He’s 5’3”, 125-lb. Your commander needed the accompaniment of four men to come to Cedro’s home and disgrace him. And look at Parker. Do you think the Viper needs four men to subdue him? Don’t you think your commander alone is capable of beating him? I don’t know what you see in him, Mr. Avery, but if I were you, I would question my judgment.”

It was a very critical moment, as I could see in Wade’s eyes that he was very close to give the cue to his lancemates. But somehow Megi’s last comment about the Viper stirred something in his mind. A shadow of confusion clouded his eyes as he lowered his right hand slowly. He gave me a straight look, then came back to Megi, “You don’t know how close you are from being pulverized, Mayor! How dare you insult my judgment?”

“The moment you open fire on Hogye, my men will send the battleROM of our conflict to MRBC from Kinst,” Megi replied, as if Wade’s 'Mechs and tanks did not intimidate her. “It will tell them how much you crossed the line by interfering with our internal system, and the fact that you opened fire on unarmed citizens. That’s against the Ares Convention, if you haven’t noticed. A serious war crime. If MRBC sees everything, you can spend the rest of your life cleaning filth from jump jet nozzles.”

The power of Megi’s words finally won over Wade’s common sense. The young MechWarrior took a step back, hissing, “One more week, Mayor. I give you one more week. If I don’t have him by then, I will besiege Hogye until you all die of famine. Not even MRBC can be your saving grace anymore.” Wade cued his lancemates to climb into their BattleMechs, then took them out of Hogye’s outskirt.

“That’s a very dangerous game you played, Megi,” Sheriff Fercyn said, wiping his cold sweat. “Wade Avery knew you were lying, and even if he didn’t, he will sooner or later.”

“He’s young, he’s honorable, but he’s inexperienced,” Megi replied, smiling triumphantly. “I know I can manipulate him.”

“Still, what if it wasn’t him?” Fercyn blurted, irritated. “What if it was the Viper, and he skipped the negotiation? Hogye’s gone by now! I can’t believe you did this, Megi!”

“But it worked, for now.” Megi responded while setting my hands free. “The bottom part is we have another week. It’s half what we wanted, but it’s still plenty of time. Now let’s get back home. We have a lot of things to do.”

“Mayor, if I can have a moment of your time,” I halted her. “Why are you doing this? Why are you so adamant about keeping me from the mercenary? Do you know who I was?”

My last question seemed to give a shock to Megi. She froze, looking at me with a blank stare. It was the first time I saw her caught off guard. She stood still for several moments, until she came back to her senses. “Don’t be stupid, Parker. I will do the same for every Hogye citizen. Now let’s head back.”

I was about to ask more, but she quickly got into the car, as if she was avoiding me. Sheriff Fercyn lit a cigarette, heaved and puffed the smoke several times, then got into the car. So I followed them. The journey back to downtown Hogye was quiet as everyone was busy thinking of what just happened.

I remembered what Wade Avery said about Megi’s willingness to jeopardize her own town just to save me. I remembered Sheriff Fercyn expressed similar curiosity the day I beat the Viper and his goons. I did not pay attention at that time, but now that two people had said it, I began to wonder: did Megi hide something from me? Did she know who I was, what I was, or where I came from? So far I knew that I was a military man, that I had had strategic and tactical military training, and that I had had intense combat training before. Exactly how much these traits were related to Megi, I did not know for sure. I just have a strong feeling that she knew me more than I thought she did. Some other time, maybe, when she was ready to tell the truth.

[edit] SIX

Hogye, Engadine,
Melissa Theater, Lyran Alliance,
April 2, 3058

Megi’s far-fetched negotiating tactic had earned Hogye another week to live. For most, a week would make little difference. But for me, yesterday’s incident was a pivotal moment in planning my next move. We have seen the strength of the Hunt Lance: a lance of BattleMechs, backed up by two lances of battle tanks. We knew that much, and we had a week to think about the best possible defense. The tanks should be easy to handle. They would not be able to travel across extreme terrain, such as cliffs, lakes, or steep hills. The BattleMechs were the main problem. If we could find a way to neutralize the 'Mech’s mobility, we stood a chance, although slim, against the Hunt Lance.

But all of those could wait. Since the day I killed the two nolans, their activities on Hogye’s perimeter had increased. They had never come to Hogye, but recon said there were more nolans than ever. I guessed that these intelligent animals were investigating us. The incident three days ago must have given them quite a shock. I hoped that they were still just as shaken as when they saw their friends decapitated by a mere human.

My mind wandered as I was being outfitted with the Cutlass battle armor by Cedro in the 'Mech garage. The Cutlass was more of exoskeleton armor rather than full-blown battle armor such as Gnome or Elemental. But again, it was designed as sport armor. The people of Hogye constructed this armor as a protection against the nolans in the Rooting. It had a high tensile strength to withstand the nolan’s sharp claws, and it increased the human’s power and agility. But it did not do well against heat or direct impact such as bullets or shrapnel.

“There, all set up,” Cedro smiled, then handed me two kinds of weapons. “Here’s your primary weapon: an assault laser rifle. The laser beam is strong enough to cut through the nolan’s skin. But it has a slow recharge time, just like laser weapons in general. Here’s your secondary weapon: a submachine gun. The bullets won’t pierce the nolan’s skin, but it will scare them away until your laser rifle is ready.”

I holstered my submachine gun on a small rack on my belt, and slung the laser rifle on my shoulder. Giving Cedro a thumbs up, I strapped on my helmet and walked outside the garage. The Cutlass gave me considerable ease in moving, almost felt like I was walking on cotton gauze. Outside, there waited seven other Cutlass armored men, ready to deliver hard punishment to the nolans. I tapped my helmet twice and spoke to the microphone, “Can anyone hear me?”

A burst of response flooded my speaker.

“Good. Let us divide ourselves into two groups. Bane, Yanthe, Lyu, you go with me. Pirse, you lead the rest. I want diamond formation, so we will have 360-degree field coverage all the time. Our laser rifles are powerful but recharge slow, so when you see a nolan, wait until you get a clear shot. The nolans are very intelligent. They know we have weapons, and they will try to trick us or set up an ambush. When in doubt, shoot. You know that there are no humans within two kilometer radius so if it’s furry, don’t hesitate.”

“How long this is gonna take?” one of them asked, a slight tremor in his voice.

“It depends,” I replied. “We will go to the east and kill as many nolans as possible. If the situation becomes out of control, I will call Sheriff Fercyn for fire support while we retreat back to downtown.” I pointed at the Commando that towered over Hogye’s short buildings. “If you still have doubt in me, have faith in Sheriff Fercyn. He will not let you down.”

My mentioning of the sheriff gave them significant confidence. They stretched up and checked their weapons, making sure that there would be no malfunctioning at the critical moment. I switched the safety off, then led our march to the eastern part of the town. Hogye was a small town, with a population of roughly 500 citizens. The size of the town was barely 2-kilometer in radius. The town was surrounded by hills and light forest, which was a perfect place for the nolans to wait, snoop, and set up an ambush. Hogye’s topography was also the reason that it was one of the hottest spots during the heyday of The Rooting, before the Clan Invasion.

Along the way to the eastern perimeter, I could feel that we were being watched. I knew that the nolans were there, scouting us, measuring us up and down, but letting us make the first move. When we got there, we immediately climbed up a hill and set up a defense line. The hill provided good view coverage of the plain. We waited for almost half an hour, but we did not spot any nolan activities. All we saw were insects, birds, and some arboreal creatures. I did not like what I saw. Too much quiet made me nervous, and I knew it made everybody nervous too. I knew that the nolans were intelligent enough to set a trap. I wish we had infrared goggles to detect their body heat.

“Maintain formation and stay covered,” I whispered on my mike. “Be ready with your guns, but do not shoot until I say so.”

Slowly I got up while looking at every direction. It was still quiet. I could smell the faint stench of nolans. So I grabbed my submachine gun, and fired a short burst at a bush about 50 meters away from my position. The rattling sound echoed through the light forest, and the bullets chipped the wood and the leaves, tossing splinters to every direction. But as much as I wanted to see a movement, I did not see anything else. I fired another short burst, then another, and another. I covered as much area as possible without wasting my bullets. It was hard to see in the forest, because everything was dim. But on a corner, I saw something strange. My bullets did not seem to pass through the thickets. I knew there was something behind the brush. It could be a rock, or a dead tree stump, but it could also be a nolan.

“Yanthe,” I whispered, trying not to startle the very nervous guy. “Do you see that brush near the big tree? Hit it with your laser.”

I saw Yanthe’s hands shaking when he hoisted his laser rifle, and fired at the brush. A cloud of greenish ooze sprouted from the thicket, followed by an agonizing scream. A second later a big shadow jumped out of the brush and zipped to the right. I tried to hit it, but before I could make my shot, it slipped behind a large tree. I could not see where Yanthe hit it, but I knew he hurt the beast.

“Stay calm!” I hissed, seeing the Hogye citizens started to panic. The wood suddenly went alive. I saw a lot of movements in the brush, heard crunching sounds and low growls, and often a taunting bellow. I knew they were trying to draw our fire, squeezing us until we were frustrated. I had to keep my lance mates cool. “They are trying to intimidate us. Stay low, keep alert, and do not…”

My lips were still wet when I caught an erratic movement on my left. A big shadow leapt into the air, hit a tree, then launched itself at me. It was a big nolan, bigger than the ones I killed. Its humongous claws were spread wide open, ready to slice me. I ducked and fired my laser from under my armpit. The beam streaked through the air and hit the beast dead center. The beam bored through the thick hide, and a shade of green mist burst from its chest. The big beast flew past my head and crashed with a hefty thud. The gaping hole on its chest puffed green steam.

I did not have time to marvel at my handiwork. Two more nolans burst from behind the trees, one landed in the midst of the formation. Driven by panic, two people fired their lasers, but missed miserably. The nolan swung its large claw and scraped a man. The Cutlass armor prevented the talons hitting vital organs, but the tip of the talons blasted through the armor and sank into the flesh. The man screamed in terror as the nolan tried to retract its claws, but they were stuck on the Cutlass armor.

“Fire at will!” I screamed my order while firing my submachine gun at the nolan. Even though my bullets bounced at the thick hide of the beast, I could see that the nolan was hurt. I knew my laser rifle had not finished charging, so I jumped ahead, trying to grab the poor man. But the nolan was quicker. It leapt onto a tree – with the man stuck on its claw screaming and crying – and ran deeper into the forest.

Logically, I would assume that the man was a loss. I could not abandon the six Hogye citizens alone to pursue the one that had virtually no chance of survival. But I had given them my words. I promised to bring them home, all of them. This was a difficult choice, and for a moment, I froze. My heart prompted me to jump into the darkness and trail this nolan. It would not go far, considering the burden it carried on its hand. But my common sense forced me to stay and fight these beasts.

My moment of pondering was disrupted when another nolan attacked me from the right. I aimed my rifle at its midst, but it swung its arm and hit my arm. My vision blurred when the pain stroke my hand. My laser rifle flew several meters away. I jumped to the side, but the nolan got my left feet. The beast grabbed my left ankle and heaved me toward it. That huge claws dashed toward my face, and I knew my visor would not hold the onslaught. I flexed my abs muscle to flinch as hard as I could, and the mighty claw slammed into the ground just millimeters away from my head. I grabbed my submachine gun and shoved it into the nolan’s mouth. I pulled the trigger, and green fluid showered from the beast’s mouth. It screeched in mortal agony, and crashed to the ground, writhing while grabbing its jaw.

I got up and tried to find my rifle, but in the mean time a nolan had been bludgeoning one of my lance mates. The beast held the poor man at the ankles and slammed the body around, first into the ground, then into the tree, using it as a club. The Cutlass armor held the man together, but I knew that he was dead. His laser rifle was on the ground and I saw the green charge light, signaling its readiness. I scrambled for the rifle and fired at the nolan. The big predator screamed, then reeled to the ground with a steaming hole in its chest.

By this time, the nolans had swarmed our hill. My team members were reduced to five, and although they could hang on, the nolans were getting closer and closer to them. The nolans, on the other hand, did not seem to be deterred by their casualties and our firepower. They were determined to exterminate us. Somehow I thought they knew that if we fell, Hogye would be theirs.

I could not let that to happen.

“Regroup to the center!” I commanded my team, who quickly followed my lead. “They have numbers, but we have range! Let them come and blast them before they get into range! Make every shot count!”

I spotted the closest nolan and blasted it with my laser. The nolan roared in its death throes, then slid down the hill, spurting smoke from its chest. Another team member fired his laser, and hit a nolan right in the head. The nolan died before it crashed to the ground. Two nolans came from the left, and my team greeted them with two well-placed salvo to their midsections. As the two tumbled, three more came from behind. My rifle had recharged, so I blasted the closest nolan while other team members disposed the others. Their confidence had grown considerably, and I did not sense uneasiness anymore. Comments like “Yeah! How do you like it, huh?” or “Who’s the daddy now?” filled up the comlink.

This battle lasted about half an hour, when the nolan carcasses had littered the ground. Knowing that they were outgunned, the beasts retreated into the depth of the forest. My teammates opened their helmets and watched the nolans retreating, awe gleaming in their eyes. They had been oppressed by the nolans for so long that it was hard for them to believe that today they had triumphed over the beasts.

“I don’t believe it,” one murmured. “Jesus Christ! I don’t believe it!”

“We did it!” another one added. “Mr. Parker, we did it! Sonofabitch, we won!”

“Look at the bodies down there! You go to hell, jackasses!”

“I told you,” I stripped my helmet. “There is nothing you cannot do if you believe in yourself.”

“My wife’s gonna be thrilled! Let’s get home!”

The simple men from Hogye started to scatter when they spotted the mangled heap of flesh that was their fallen comrade. They stopped for a moment, lamenting in their own way to commemorate the valiant effort this deceased had given.

“What about Elbil?” somebody asked. “I saw he was taken by a nolan.”

“Poor Elbil,” another replied. “But he’s dead. Nobody had ever come back after being hitched by a nolan. Let’s just go home…”

“Go ahead,” I said. “You deserve it. Leave Elbil to me. I promise to bring everybody home.”

One of them handed in his laser rifle to me. “Here. You need it more than I do.”

“Thank you,” I slung the rifle on my shoulder. “We meet at Hogye.”

As the men happily sprinted toward Hogye, I inspected the ground, looking for any trail of blood that could lead me to Elbil. It was hard, considering most of the ground were covered by the greenish fluid that was nolan’s blood. But at last I found it, small drops of blood on the ground and swaths of blood on the tree trunks. I paused a moment, thinking that it might be another nolan trap. But I had no choice. I might still have a chance to bring Elbil back alive if I move fast. So I readied my rifles and started to run, following the blood trail.

The smears of blood eventually led me to a strange ruin, about one click away from the battle scene. It was a large structure, nothing like I have ever seen. It looked almost like a giant cylinder, but the wall was utterly shattered. Cracks and holes pockmarked the wall, and at some point, I could smell smoke. The blood trail went straight into the heart of this ruin through a large crack on the wall. I knew that I would be extremely vulnerable if I went into the ruin. There were a lot of places where the nolan could hide and ambush me. But again, I did not have a choice. I would not gamble with a human’s life. So I readied my rifles and delved into the ruin.

It took several minutes to adjust myself to the dimly lit surroundings. The interior was wide, almost 15 meters tall. The air inside was soggy. Fortunately, my helmet was equipped with oxygen purifier, so I could go on without fear of intoxication. I walked slowly, knowing that the nolans might have been watching me, waiting for me to make a wrong move. I felt like a dozen eyes were watching every step that I made. In a sense, it was true. I could spot hundreds of crawling insects on the wall, but the one that I wanted to see – or kill – had not shown up yet.

Five minutes passed and I started to smell the familiar stench of a nolan. I stopped, opening up all of my senses to spot the predator, but I could not see it. I had seen their capability to blend in with their environment, much like a chameleon. But no matter how cunning, adaptable, and devious a nolan was, I was even more so.

Slowly I lowered my rifle from my shoulder, and held it with my left. With two rifles in both hands, I crouched on the floor and assumed a low position. The ruin was not my turf, but it was not the nolan’s either. I assumed that the nolan had figured out the recharging time of my laser rifle, and it was waiting for me to shoot blindly in the dark. I fired the rifle in my left hand.

I was right.

As soon as the beam bounced off the wall, a low growl echoed in the dark room. I smiled victoriously as I turned around to face the incoming nolan. I caught a glimpse of dread in its eyes as I fired my other rifle, and sliced its throat with the laser. The big predator skidded on the hard paved floor, gurgling uncontrollably as green fluid spurted from its neck. I waited until my rifle recharged, then I shot the head of the beast, ending its misery.

I collected my other rifle and swept the ruin, looking for any hint of Elbil. But strangely enough, I could not find any trace of human being. I began to wonder if this nolan was the same nolan that hitched Elbil. If it was not, then what was the trail of blood at the mine entry? This puzzled me for some time, and I began to wonder if this was actually another trap by the nolans. I went deeper and deeper into the mine, and was about to give up when I saw something at the end of the tunnel.

I came into a broad hallway, with debris lying around. It was not until I paid closer attention that I realized what type of debris it was. BattleMech parts. I could make out arms, legs, chips of armor, gearboxes, tubes, cockpit glass, belts, gun shells… By the amount of parts, I reckoned there were at least two-dozen BattleMechs, shattered, mutilated, and abandoned. Unspeakable carnage must have happened here.

And then, there was the big shadow on the corner. It was a BattleMech, a huge one, with two gigantic cannons as its lower arms and two smaller cannons on its torso. Even bigger than the largest BattleMech I have ever seen, the Viper’s JagerMech. It was in terrible condition. Its armor was almost shredded to the internal structure. But nonetheless, it was the only 'Mech intact. Its head almost touched the ceiling, and this 'Mech had two windows as the cockpit, closely resembling eyes. There was a grill below these eyes, giving the 'Mech an impression of a sinister grin.

I was so mesmerized by the 'Mech that I did not see someone coming. Suddenly I was jerked aside. My body hit the wall, and through my visor I saw a man, a human being, pinning me to the wall. He was about my size, but I have never seen him before. His eyes shot unprecedented hatred toward me. I was so caught off guard that I did not know what to do.

“Leave! This 'Mech is mine!” the man croaked.

“My name is Parker, I am looking for my…”

“Leave! Go away!” he fizzled even more. “I will kill you all! This 'Mech is mine!”

“Do you know me?” I asked. “Who are you?”

“Get out! Get out!!” he screamed, then hopped into the darkness. My subsequent effort to find him ended up in total failure. I guessed this place was his turf, and I would not be able to find him if he decided to disappear. But I wondered what kind of man lived in this condition. And then, there was this 'Mech. What was this 'Mech doing down here? If Hogye had this 'Mech, why did nobody use it? A BattleMech of this magnitude would solve Hogye’s problems easily. And what about the other 'Mechs, the ripped-apart 'Mechs that littered this ruin? Where did they come from?

I spent about two hours searching for answers to all my questions, and still I could not find anything. Just the mysterious 'Mech, looking at me with its cynical leer. It seemed that Elbil was never here, and neither was the strange man. In fact, I never found Elbil. When I decided to come back to Hogye, it was already dark, and a big celebration was underway. I came to Megi, hoping to get some explanation about my strange encounter in the ruin, but she was just too caught up with the party. I just had to wait for another day.

[edit] SEVEN

Mayor’s Office, City Hall
Hogye, Engadine,
Melissa Theater, Lyran Alliance,
April 3, 3058

Yesterday’s excursion was a rousing success. Everywhere I went people exulted our triumph over the nolans. Sometimes the stories blew up into exaggerated epic. But the bottom line was that the somber mood of Hogye had lightened with hope. The fact that two of the warriors were killed in the battle did not stop them from singing, dancing, and chanting of miracles. The deceased were soon forgotten and, sadly, were left to be mourned only by their families.

While most of Hogye’s citizens were out partying, Megi demanded a follow-up meeting regarding the future of Hogye. Only Fercyn, Cedro, the Cutlass warriors, and myself attended the meeting. Unlike the rest of the citizens, Megi and Fercyn did not show any emotion at all. I could see their point. Beating the nolans was only the first step towards their independence. The hardest part was still waiting to fall upon us.

“So we did bring the battle to the nolans,” Megi muttered. “Did we solve this problem, or do we just put it off for a while?”

“I believed we delivered a crushing blow to the nolans yesterday, and we can be assured that they will not come back for a long time,” I spoke confidently. “We can use the hiatus to train more citizens, make more Cutlass battle armors, buy more weapons, and set up a defense grid. Turrets are a good idea, as well as city wall or electric fence. Your budget may be stringent, but with this adequate defense, you might be able to pull off the Rooting next year.”

“That’s certainly good news, Parker. But we still have a problem,” Megi said. “The mercenaries will come in five days to demand justice.”

“I will surrender myself in exchange for your freedom,” I suggested. “I caused the problem, and I will take full responsibility for everything. They can take me as long as they do not come back to Hogye. But that should pose no problem since you have the capability to build your own unit to defend Hogye from the nolans. I think this is the best course for everybody.”

“You know I can’t allow that, Parker,” Megi persisted on her point of view.

“I don’t understand how you can be this pig-headed, Megi,” Fercyn sighed in exasperation. “You heard him yourself: he’ll take the full responsibility. Now you’re not just putting everybody in peril, you’re preventing him from do the only thing that can be done! Why, Megi? Why?”

“You know what kind of man Viper Viveros is, Fercyn!” Megi shot up from her seat. “He’s a man with no honor whatsoever! Think of the most demented torture possible! Think of how Parker will go through the final moments of his life in the hands of Viveros! And remember, we’re talking about Parker who gave us back our dignity as humans! How the hell do you think I’m supposed to live knowing that I’m allowing this disgrace to happen?” She paused for a moment to catch her breath. “No, Fercyn! It’s not gonna happen! Parker stays, and that’s final!”

“It is obvious to me that you are not the same Megi I knew two years ago,” unexpectedly Fercyn put his badge on the table. “You make my job so damn hard that I can’t do it anymore. I’ll leave the Commando for you. You need it more than I do. Call me a coward, but at least I won’t die as a fool. However, I’ll be cheering for you. All the best.” He bowed, then walked out of the door, leaving behind a macabre silence.

Fercyn’s leaving was a deathblow to our plan. He was the only experienced MechWarrior in Hogye. He had been the backbone of Hogye’s defense and the rock where Hogye’s citizens put their hopes on. I turned to look at the Cutlass warriors. Doubt flickered in their eyes. Suddenly their confidence shrunk, replaced by the same reluctant facade that they had worn for a long time. I could understand why they felt that way. They were not soldiers. Fighting the mercenaries was a whole different league than fighting the nolans, especially without Sheriff Fercyn at the Commando.

“If anybody wants to follow Fercyn, now is the time,” Megi finally spoke after minutes of bone-crushing hiatus. “I understand what I’m putting you in, and I won’t hold a grudge against you. Walk now, or forever be silent.”

“But Senorita, how can we fight without Sheriff Fercyn?” Cedro moaned.

“Alright Parker, can you drive a Commando?”

I paused. If I were a MechWarrior before, piloting one should not be a problem. Everything would come back eventually. But if I was not, then I only had five days to learn. I did not think it was possible. So I had to devise two separate plans, one assuming I were a MechWarrior, the other one I was not.

“I do not have the answer until I try it, Mayor,” I gave my answer. “But assuming I can, one Commando can only carry so much firepower. We are fighting a mixed company of 'Mechs and tanks. We need more firepower. Is there a way we can end this conflict in negotiation? Talk to the CAMR CO?”

“All communication in and out of Hogye had been knocked out,” Megi groaned. “And even if we make contact with the CO, I’m not sure if he will reason with us. It may take more than five days. I can pull off another negotiation with Wade Avery, but if Viper Viveros resumes command of the Hunt Lance, there’ll be no negotiation at all. He’ll just march into Hogye until he gets what he wants. We have to slow them down, if we can’t hold them at all.”

“Kinst has five tanks,” Cedro suddenly spoke gallantly. “They’re rusty, but I think I can make them work just fine. I know the technician who works on the tanks. He’s pretty good.”

“That’s not much, but certainly helps,” Megi nodded. “Plus we have six Cutlass battle armors.”

“We are still outgunned,” I reckoned. “There is a hole we can exploit, but it is extremely risky, and we will need a lot of luck. But if we succeed, we will give the Viper and his crews a blow they will never forget for the rest of their lives. Our lives will not be the same.”

I knew I sounded too optimistic. But I had to flare their morale after being abandoned by Fercyn, their guardian angel for so many years. I knew that giving them false hope would only make them fall harder if my plan did not work. But I had no choice. I could not handle the mercenaries alone, and Megi would not let me do the only thing I was certain would help. So I gave them the most plausible scenario I could think of, and hoped that they would accept and do it wholeheartedly. It was the only way.

“When they came the first time, the Hunt Lance took the entire company to intimidate us,” I unveiled my strategy. “I would assume that it would happen the same way this time. If that is correct, then Kinst is left unguarded. So, assuming Kinst is willing to help us, the tanks can follow the mercenaries from a safe distance. That way, they have the element of surprise.”

My mind was racing to come up with something to convince these people that we had a chance.

“If the Kinst tanks can hold their own against the CAMR tanks, we just have to find a way to neutralize their 'Mechs, which is a whole different ballgame. But as insane as it sounds, I have a plan for dealing with them. Cunning and trickery seem to be a part of my past as well. But bear in mind that this scenario is extremely dangerous and needs very good coordination between us and Kinst. Too many mistakes may spell disaster.”

“I will go over the details with you all shortly. And remember our overall objective is to declare that Hogye can take care of itself just fine. If the Lord-President hears that we can beat the mercenaries, he hopefully will review their contract and terminate it.”

I paused, giving them time to think while wondering myself what in the world I was doing. I was taking a huge risk, even bigger than they had to. These people had never had military training, let alone working together in such a critical mission. Assigning them to jobs that needed extreme precision was reckless. There were holes where my plan could go wrong. But I did not have any other way. If I wanted them to be able to defend themselves, if I wanted to cut their bonds, I had to trust them.

“What if something wrong happens?” Megi asked while scratching at her hair.

“Many things can and will go wrong, Mayor, but given the circumstances that you do not let me take the easy way, this is the best I can think of for us. Should things happen to go to hell, we will fix it.”

There was another silence, as if everybody was thinking about the plan. In the end, Mayor Megi rose from her chair and said, “Fine, we’ll do it your way. I will sneak to Kinst to ask their assistance. Meanwhile, you see if you have any experience piloting a 'Mech. Cedro will help you. And nobody say anything about what we discussed today. Keep everything to yourself. Alright, get out of here and do your job. Parker, meet me again tonight and tell me what you find about yourself.”

As everybody dismissed, I saw a perfect opportunity to ask the mayor about the ruin I found yesterday during the excursion. When the mayor walked toward the door, I halted her and asked, “Mayor, when I was out looking for Elbil yesterday, I found this ruin…”

By the way Megi jerked her head, I knew that this had really surprised her. Moreover, I found it in her eyes that she wished I had never said it. “Whatever you saw down there, Parker, don’t mention it to anybody.” She spoke with lower voice. “Not to Cedro, not to your lance mates, not even to me… ever again!”

“But mayor,” I argued, “there was a BattleMech inside the ruin… a very big one…”

“Listen to me Parker,” she interjected. “A lot of people will get hurt if you keep talking about it.”

“Hurt?” I could not believe my ears. “Why? A 'Mech that size could help us in our defense against the Hunt Lance. I do not understand why people will get hurt.”

“You don’t know what you’re dealing with, Parker,” Megi looked at me like a mother looking at her son. “Let’s keep it that way. The less you know, the better it is for everybody. Including you. So let’s forget about the ruin and the 'Mech, hmm? This conversation never happened.”

How could I assume the conversation never happened? I did not understand why Megi wanted to conceal this fact so much. Even if I could not drive it properly, the big 'Mech would deal a tremendous blow to the Hunt Lances’ morale. I could only guess the ruin and the 'Mech were parts of a dark page in Hogye’s history. Or maybe it was personal to Megi, that she would rather not see the 'Mech again, even though it could even the odds a little. I did not seem to have a choice. I thought I just had to respect her wish that I did not bring the 'Mech into my defense plan.

But still…

“Mayor Megi, there is something else. I met somebody down there, a man, who seems to be living in the ruin. He seems to know me. Who is he? At least give me that, Mayor,” I pleaded.

I could see it was hard for Megi to answer my last question. I heard her heaving a labored breath, then spoke firmly, “He’s just an insane wanderer who poses no threat to anybody, so we just ignore him. Don’t let your mind be bothered by little things, Parker. You have a much bigger task. Forget about him and learn to drive the Commando. I’m leaving for Kinst.”

I pressed her again for answers but Megi shrugged off my attempts and left me alone. I felt dejected. I knew she knew that the ruin and the mysterious man were a critical element to unearth my forgotten past, yet she blatantly denied me from the truth, declaring a massive catastrophe if I continued my quest. Seriously, who was I? Was I a hit man of a crime syndicate? A godfather? A mad scientist? A terrorist?

I did not know how long I stood there pondering about my past. Cedro woke me up with a harsh shake on the hand, “Parker, amigo, what are you doing? Planning the battle, no? Let’s try out the Commando. You’ll like it.”

So I followed Cedro to the 'Mech garage. Other technicians were working hard to brush up the remaining Cutlass and the weapons. In the distance I saw Trejo, the manager, looking at me with a hateful stare. His business was halted by this incident. Although the Hunt Lance did not pay him, the 'Mech repair and maintenance allowed him to use up spare parts. He lived off the bonus from the big 'Mech industries such as Kallon, Defiance, or Irian. I knew he hated me for sending away the Hunt Lance, thus ceasing his cash flow.

Cedro led me to the Commando at the corner. It was a small 'Mech, barely five times the height of typical technician in the garage. The bulk of its torso was monopolized by a huge missile launcher with six tubes gaping just above the waist. Two holes peeked