[dcs_p]Borg shook his face ever so slightly, barely moving. When he found his own
voice, it was barely a whisper.
“I will personally tell him our analysis.” he said.[/dcs_p]
…
[dcs_p]Devon placed the heavy neurohelmet over his head. It was an unfamiliar design,
bulkier and heavier than that of his regular Clan-tech neurohelmet assembly. The
cool metal slid snugly over his skull, and despite its weight it felt remarkably
comforting to him. Devon was never quite sure why he liked this part of suiting up
for battle so much, but he chalked it up to being born a Clan warrior. He knew
that some people excelled in certain circumstances. Preparing for war indeed
seemed like readying himself for his own chance to excel.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Looking up, he realized this would be the very first time he’d piloted an Assassin
Mech. Despite being comparatively lighter than his usual ride, Devon spotted
several admirable qualities about the small Mech. He had never undervalued light
Mechs, but his rank had provided him with the more heavily armed BattleMechs.
“Its probably not much for you to look at, quiaff?” Tana Rishar asked him. She
stood next to him on the small lift that carried Mechwarriors and technicians to
the higher levels of the BattleMech Repair Facility. Though Tana rarely talked
with Devon, he knew she was very curious about the man. She was old school
Inner Sphere, and no matter how long he stayed with the Strikers, he would
always be a Clanner to her.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”Aff, but that does not mean I do not respect its abilities. This Mech could run
circles around my Direwolf. Given the right pilot, it might destroy enough back
armor to take even an assault Mech out of a fight.” Devon turned to Tana and
smiled. That ought to keep her baffled. He loved playing the differences of his
Clan culture for effect, especially with this attractive woman who’d caught his eye
years before when they had first met.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Tana was slow to return the smile, but perhaps it was because she had been
taken off-guard by his response and body language. When she did finally smile,
Devon watched closely. Living by his Clan culture, he might have asked this
woman to be a coupling partner. However he knew the suggestion would be
insulting to Tana as well as to his own regular coupling partner, Dana.
As the lift came to a stop at its destination level, Tana finally stopped smiling and
shook her head at him. She must have figured out something about Devon’s
thoughts, either the slight trickery in his words or body language.
She is a quick study. He decided silently.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”You are an odd one, Star Colonel Carns. Good luck to you in your match.” She
said.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Before Devon could say another word, Tana Rishar turned on her plasteel-plated
boots and walked away from him.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Devon looked down to the ground while contemplating her reaction to him, then
realized his concentration should have been on the match to begin with. He
couldn’t afford to be distracted with such biological matters when so much was at
stake. As if on cue, Borg approached him from the far edge of the walkway.[/dcs_p]