<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/ef/Damian_Harper.jpg)</div><strong>Damian Harper (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=207352.msg10168756#msg10168756)</strong><br/><strong>On the battlefield in Charybdis.</strong><br/><strong>Tagged: Everyone</strong><br/><hr/><br/><strong>Santa Prisca Desert, Librios<br/>Deneb Algedi, Benjamin District<br/>Draconis Combine<br/>1 January 3145</strong><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">Damian was as silent in his cockpit as ever. Sitting back in surprising comfort, his blood ice cold and his mind clear, the only clanner in the company had a tendency to keep his opinions to himself during battle. The chatter of orders and banter across the channels were starting to annoy him and it showed as his brow furrowed and green eyes narrowed as they glanced from the desert before him to the specs displayed on his HUD. The plan had been set in advance. Lure out the enemy lances, if possible, meet them halfway, out of the range of much of the base's defenses, pepper them from a distance and crush them in a pincer maneuver. He was pleased to see their fearless leader enacting the plan with brutal efficiency, though his stern expression remained unchanged. His dark blue Ha Otoko, Charybdis, did not open fire yet, instead, he was biding his time. Having separated slightly, he had taken up position closer to the top of the dune that Kari had sought cover behind. Adrenaline was already kicking in in full as he heard the chatter and the sounds of battle; even the occasional bright flash from PPC fire or a stray laser.<br/><br/>In all honesty, Damian wasn't keen on spending most of his life with mercenaries, fighting just to make end's meet. But there was little a virtually exiled clanner could do. Either he continued to thrust himself into combat, or he starved. However, he was at least comfortable with the company he had found. He would never tell them as much, but out of all the various groups he had fought beside, these knew what they were doing. There were a few rogue elements, and he didn't exactly get along with any but the commander, but he at least respected them for their abilities. They weren't his brothers and sisters in Sea Fox, but he could trust them with his back... at least he was reasonably sure he could.<br/><br/>Fighting had all but lost its luster to the veteran. One of the oldest members of the company, he had been piloting most of his life by that point, having been trained and bred, though not quite as literally as the Trueborn, for being a Warrior. While the rush of his beating heart still made him feel alive, he couldn't help but start viewing his cockpit like a highly advanced, metal cage. Troublesome, but he pushed the thoughts away. Centered and focused, he was not about to break his professional track record by getting distracted. A single index finger tapped the paneling around the base of one of his control sticks, his other hand resting against his temple. The time had finally come to act.<br/><br/>From the moment the pincer crash into the enemy 'Mechs, he finished his ascent proper, the higher ground giving him a perfect view of the enemies rushing across the sands.<br/><strong>"Opening fire,"</strong> he commented across all channels, his voice calm, collected and rather held back considering the situation they found themselves in. Locking on to the Archer that had taken center stage, he unleashed a full volley of LRM-20s onto the 'Mech, while both Charybdis' arms raised to fire a mortar shell each towards the center of the enemy formation. The powerful impacts would be more than enough to force them to, at least temporarily, abandon their concentrated push and begin to scatter to prevent having more than a single 'Mech taken out at once. The sharpnel tore its way through part of the back of the Archer, but did little but serve to piss its pilot off.<br/><br/>Charybdis remained to the back of the dune; giving his limbs and torso a good firing line to the enemy, but not granting them much in return. However, at the sound of Angeline's communique, he needed to shift his focus. He and the young woman... did not get along. She had a problem with clanners, that much was certain, while he found her to be a spoiled little brat who had no place on a battlefield. She was an arena angel, and perhaps she should have stayed there. But their personal problems were of no consequence when it came to the fight itself. She asked for backup, he was close by as they both served as the support line of the lances, so he would help.<br/><strong>"Aff,"</strong> the clanner responded with a highly defined accent. Twisting around, he began a circling decent from the dune, his long-range capabilities, aided by a powerful FCS, quickly brought the Firestarter in range. The light 'Mech stood little chance as a wealth of missiles barreled down towards it, mixed with a single mortar shell aimed in front of it. The massive impact, even if it missed, would be more than enough to have any Warrior think twice about advancing. And if he stopped to smell the roses, he would find plenty more missiles aimed straight for his cockpit.</div>