[dcs_p]“Do you ever think about death Sasha? I mean really think about it?” He seemed
to have sobered up in mere seconds of Sasha’s question. Confused, and unsure
of what to say, Sasha merely stated that she tried not to. All Clan warriors face
death many times in the sibko, some live, some die, it was not something to dwell
on. “I didn’t used to think about it either, but something happened to me out there
today Sasha, it was, different. We’ve each fought, and killed, before, but this
was different. It’s hard to explain. When I was suiting up, I was excited, and
scared, this could have been it for me, washed up and tossed out, to live in
disgrace for the rest of my life… if I lived. It is a sobering thought.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]He poured himself another glass, Sasha just sat in a stunned silence. “We fought
against our brothers today, along with some from another sibko that also had an
extremely low population make it this far. The first contest, I came over a rise,
my blood was running hot, and there I saw the ‘enemy’, it was an Adder Prime, if
I didn’t kill it fast, those PPCs would eat my poor Kit Fox, so I took aim, and, no
more cockpit.” He took a drink, “I just, blew the cockpit out of the machine, and it
just stopped, like a dead husk. Oh, I lost to the next Mech I fought, I only earned
the rank of Mechwarrior today, kind of makes me sick now..” Sasha still didn’t
understand, that the pilot died she understood, but why such a change over Tac?
Then understanding dawned on her, she knew, and she felt sad. Not for the
woman killed, but for Tac. She took a long drink. She refilled her glass.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“She was a fine warrior, a true Steel Viper.” She raised her glass, Tac matched
the toast and they drank. “I’m sorry Tac.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“Aff, so am I.” Tac couldn’t keep his emotion in anymore, and began to cry.
The price to be a warrior of the Clan Steel Viper was high, very high.[/dcs_p]