Inspection (Day T-2, Morning, Mech Hanger, OPEN)

[James Hall]

James was looking at the Clint, the most damaged mech in the bay while Mata played with her toys nearby.

[Andrea DeTroyes]

The Tech was not the only one down in the mechbay. Standing within sight but engrossed in her own world was Andrea, she was scrolling through a screen near the unpowered Commando. While several had been assigned mechs, this Commando was her's and her family's. She was not going to just let any random person work on the machine without a healthy amount of scrutiny.

Stepping back from the screen Andrea looked up, the Fortunate Son's logo had been painted over the location of her old unit's crest. But her coat of arms remained, if now in more subdued colors, opposite the mercenary company logo.

[James Hall]

Eventually, James made his way over. Mata following with her bag of toys, holding what appeared to be a black bird and a some sort of metal worm or snake. They were clearly handmade.

James bows. "Mechwarrior. I was looking over the mechs. I can skip yours for now if you would like some time with it." Mata steps behind her father.

[Andrea DeTroyes]

Andrea crossed her arms and turned to the tech, "No. It is fine if you need to run a diagnostic. I am more familiar with Sly's operation then minutiae of his insides." She uncrosses one arm and waves dismissively, "Though I hope you don't mind a pair of eyes over your shoulder. Sly is mine, not the company's..." She dipped her head and smirked, "You understand yes?"

[James Hall]

James shrugged. "Probably not, but you're the mechwarrior. If you want to watch me, it is your right." James didn't understand if there was supposed to be some deeper meaning other than concern for her mech. The last 9 years.... they were not helpful with his social abilities here. But he could appreciate a warrior who concerned herself with the details. He began performing his inspection. It was pretty good. Clearly, she had cared for it more than the pirates had for theirs.

Mata watched the Andrea carefully, but after she apparently decided the woman wasn't a threat, she put away the animals and began playing with crudely made Locust and Blackjack toys.

James goes describing everything he's doing, occasionally, checking that Andrea is approving of what he is doing.

[Andrea DeTroyes]

For the moment she seemed interested but not particularly adept at what he was laying out. Still Andrea nodded as he spoke, picking up on his approval over the Commando's state of repair. "Ah yes, yes it has been with my family for generations. Not the primary mech of the family, father's Victor is the real prize goes back to the family founder."

She glances to the child playing with hand made mech toys, "I take it mechs are something of a family trade for you."

[James Hall]

"Your family has taken good care of it." James gives a nod of approval. It was good to be among real warriors instead of pirates who just saw mechs as a means for murder and pillaging. "Honestly, it amazes me how long some of these mechs last. Well, with proper maintenance. Your family has good... servants?" Was that the correct term?

James looks back at Mata. "I come from a long line of technicians. Probably since the Star League. Though my original specialty was aerospace fighters. The pirates decided I change specialties." He smiles. "After those hunk of junks, it is nice seeing a real mech again." Then, he nods towards his daughter. "Mata's mother was an aerospace fighter. I was her tech. Her genetic father... I don't know who he was, but I know he was a mechwarrior. A colonel." James shrugs. "I've been encouraging her to follow in his footsteps. It seems like a better fit for her than her mother's." At least, James hoped he had it right.

[Andrea DeTroyes]

"Retainers." Andrea raises an eyebrow, "Some of whom, like yourself, served the family since following along with our founder into the service of the Davions." She refrains from adding the true successors of the First Lordship, "So then not true family, but hoping to preserve a lineage of a sort. Interesting. I assume then you do not intend to teach her how to fix mechs?"

She pats the side of the Commando, "Andrea Océane Laurette DeTroyes, daughter of Captain Étienne Sébastien DeTroyes, descended from Major Charles Gérôme DeTroyes of the 91st Heavy Assault Regiment, Star League Defense Force." The noble straightens a little at the recital, "And this is Sly Calibre, once the mount of a retainer but when their line tragically ended it folded into the DeTroyes family."

[Comstar]

Nora walked by, chatting with an astech, seemingly looking for where something had been stored. It sounded like some cargo had been misplaced, and she was attempting to track it down.

They were gone out of earshot almost as fast as they came.

The mech next to Sly Calibre, like all the reserve mechs, told a story just by looking at it. A Locust, the left torso blown off, and engine damaged. Next in line a Hornet that was pretty roughed up, but otherwise looked intact until you checked under the hood and found a mangled life-support system.

And finally, the mech whose pilot met the most obvious and unequivocal end, the Clint. The mech was in good condition with only mild damage, apart from the Head, which had been ripped off by a massive autocannon hit, reducing it, and everything in it, to fragments.

Fourth in the reserve knooks was a pristine Urbanmech, still with "Discount Dan's Urbanmech Emporium!" sprawled on the side.

[James Hall]

"I intend to teach her some. Just because it is in her blood doesn't mean that is what she should be. Children should be tested to see where they fit in in the world. I just want to make sure she is prepared to pass what tests she will face."

After that introduction, James seemed to have a new found respect for the Davion, probably helped by her not claiming the Davions were the true successors to the First Lord. "I had no idea. I... I am from the Outworlds Alliance, but I believe in the Star League. It was a prosperous age. I pray we see it's like again."

As Nora walked by, James bowed. She was his superior, but since she ignored him and was apparently busy, he turned his attention back to the Davion.