OBT Forum

the first Trial of Position of Grayson from Clan Nova Cat

Hope you enjoy comments welcome

Trial of Position
Nova Cat Territory, Barcella
Clan Homeworlds, Kerensky Cluster
1st March 3082

   â€œI am the Oathmaster and I oversee this trial” the voice crackled over the communication frequency.  Grayson Nova Cat knew the voice well he’d met the man several times most recently when he’d arrived on Barcella after a long journey from the Nova Cat’s Den.  Oathmaster Zane Carns had welcomed him and wished him well Grayson knew that he’d serve within Zane’s Alpha Galaxy if he was successful today, no when he was victorious.  “Today we will see if Grayson and Luce are good enough to be Nova Cat warriors.”  Zane said naming the two warriors standing side by side Grayson sat inside his eighty-five ton Warhawk OmniMech while Luce sat within her ninety-five ton Executioner OmniMech.  Both were freeborn warriors however Grayson knew he’d been assigned an OmniMech because of his father Canin Rosse Khan of the Nova Cats, despite his freeborn status Grayson had always been given respect however he knew this was because of his father, now it was his turn to make respect and make a difference.  He also knew that because he’d been given an OmniMech Luce had been given one keeping the balance in the trial.

   Against them stood six other Nova Cat OmniMechs their opponents.  As was Clan tradition they would fight in accordance to Zellbrigen one-on-one.  A warrior had to defeat one enemy to be considered to be a Nova Cat Warrior, two for the rank of Star Commander and three for the rank of Star Captain.  Technically it was possible to have four kills however that meant either engaging your opponents Mechs or attacking your opponent either way it would turn all six Mechs against you and heightened the chances of death within the trail.  “This is a solemn matter, these warriors must prove themselves capable of fighting for the Nova Cat, may no other enter this battle.”  Zane paused for a moment Grayson quietly whispered the word “Seyla” as he waited.  “Commence!”  Zane ordered almost immediately Zane’s Mech was hit by a pair of large class lasers, he turned towards his target a Shadow Cat OmniMech a forty-five ton design.  Zane tracked the fast moving design blasting away with a the pair of particle cannons on his right arm the first caught the Shadow Cat on the left leg, the second burned deep into the torso, the Shadow Cat kept running but was damaged.

   Off to Grayson’s left there was a huge explosion catching Grayson’s eye, turning he looked left and saw Luce’s Executioner its head a core of fire as her Mech had been hit by a particle cannon from an enemy Huntsman.  Grayson knew that Trials of Position sometimes ended in the loss of a warrior but was shocked it had come so soon, he looked at the defiant Huntsman barely touched by Luce’s fire and felt the urge to engage the Mech himself instead he knew he had his own trial to contend with turing looking for his target the Shadow Cat.

   As he turned his Warhawk six missiles slammed into his Warhawk’s forward armour as the Shadow Cat ran past at close range.  Grayson glanced at his armour, the Warhawk was capable of taking the hits and he saw no additional damage instead he pushed down his left leg twisting the Warhawk’s torso left tracking the Shadow Cat which launched itself skyward on jump jets.  Grayson wasn’t put off by the move instead he hammered the two right particle cannons into the Shadow Cat and fired his over shoulder long range missile launcher.  The first particle cannon went wildly wide missing the flying Shadow Cat, the second burned into the already damaged left leg tearing the limb from the Mech’s body.  As the Mech continued to jump now lopsided lacking a leg the missiles slammed into the rear torso forcing the Shadow Cat forward, the Mech tumbling head of toes as it fell uncontrolled slamming into the ground sprawling over the ground not moving.

   Grayson turned his Warhawk to face the wrecked Medium OmniMech but saw no further resistance from the OmniMech he turned to face his next opponent.  His sensors quickly identified it a seventy ton Nova Cat, the namesake of his Clan.  Of all the Mechs he’d hoped not to face before today the Nova Cat was one of them he wanted to avoid it was well armoured, and well armed.  Unfortunately it was a popular Nova Cat Touman heavy design and there was always a good chance of this kind of engagement.

   Two series of green bolts from two large pulse lasers burned towards his Warhawk, destroying armour on the left arm, followed by a series of auto cannon strikes on the left torso. Grayson wracked his mind trying to think what configuration it was then realized it was the alternate C configuration the urban conflict configuration not exactly the best configuration of the OmniMech.  Fighting back a smile Grayson was suddenly glad to be facing this Mech firing all four of his Warhawk’s particle cannons Grayson was hit by a huge amount of heat as their weapons overwhelmed his OmniMech’s double heat sinks.  The Warhawk’s targeting computer was momentarily affected by the heat but it soon cleared as the Mech and warrior recovered.  Moments later Grayson’s Mech was hit again by multiple autocannon hits as the Nova Cat fired again, Grayson winced as he noticed the left arm armour was low.  He looked at the Nova Cat and noticed it was completely missing its left arm and much of its side torso armour.

   With heat still a problem Grayson cut off his long range missile launcher and only a single of his particle cannons.  The missiles exploded around the Nova Cat’s legs with only a few hitting home causing next to no damage to the heavy OmniMech.  The particle cannon guided high by the Warhawk’s over heated targeting computer missed the Nova Cat completely.  “Stavag” Grayson whispered turning the Warhawk sluggishly to the left trying to hide his Mech’s damaged left arm.  The Nova Cat warrior was moving again firing its autocannons again this time eating at Grayson’s right torso armour.  Grayson continued his course left twisting his torso he brought the right arm inline with his target firing two more particle blasts at the heavy Mech before continuing on.  One particle cannon struck home but Grayson soon found the Nova Cat still active firing more autocannon fire into the back of his Warhawk damaging the weak armour there.  With enough of the pecking at his armour Grayson turned at the Nova Cat OmniMech and charged the heavy Mech in a full run firing all four particle cannons as autocannon fire tore at his armour.  Running at speed and firing his main weapons overwhelmed his heat sinks, the Warhawk staggered and shut down.  “STAVAG!” Grayson shouted beating himself up waiting for more fire from the Nova Cat nothing came.  Slowly the Warhawk came back to life and Grayson saw the Nova Cat standing less than sixty metres from him its upper torso a smoking ruin, behind Grayson could see an ejected pilot’s parachute slowly falling through the air and he smiled “two down!”  He said triumphantly.

   Within moments Grayson’s Mech was under fire again he turned and saw another Warhawk stepping towards his Mech “hell” it was probably the second last thing he wanted to see.  Raising his arms he fired a single pair of particle cannons trying to manage heat.  The other Warhawk returned with an autocannon followed by long range missiles, Grayson’s Mech was peppered by fire as the missiles exploded all around him and the autocannon splintered as it hit covering him in fire.  Glancing down Grayson noticed his left arm had been hit again and one of the particle cannons there was damaged.  Grayson ignored it, at least his heat would be lower, instead he fired his long range missile launcher and two particle cannons back cutting into the enemy Mech’s left side.  Grayson cut his Mech left covering his damaged side as the enemy Mech fired again with two large lasers and its long range missile launcher cutting up Grayson’s right side glancing at the armour Grayson realized that neither side of his Warhawk looked any good.

   Twisting his torso right Grayson slowed his Warhawk’s movement to almost nothing and concentrated on the enemy Warhawk, aiming at the right leg he triggered all three particle cannons and his long range missile launcher.  The particle bolts shot through the air, two of the man-made lightning blasts tore into the leg the third exploded about thirty metres behind the assault Mech.  Six of the ten long range missiles followed the two on target cannons tearing up all that was left of the armour there and causing damage to the knee actuator.  The enemy Warhawk pilot fired its auto cannon and short range missile launcher again however their fire was thrown off as the knee actuator gave way making the assault Mech stumble forward unstable.  The autocannon still slammed into his left arm tearing the limb from Grayson’s Mech partially twisting the Warhawk around as the limb flew through the air behind the Warhawk.  Losing a weapon hurt but Grayson wasn’t going to allow that to stand in his way firing both remaining particle cannons hitting the enemy Mech’s centre line, there was a miniature explosion that followed as something inside the enemy Mech was hit.  Already unstable on its feet because of the knee the enemy Warhawk stumbled forward before tripping slamming into the ground, its pilot shutting down the OmniMech almost immediately in surrender.

   Standing there in his one armed OmniMech Grayson scanned for another target only seeing the still defiant Huntsman, Luce’s first opponent, not moved since the first salvo of the fight.  It took Grayson several moments to realize he’d won the fight with three kills to his name.  The communication system crackled to life “I am the Oathmaster, and I proclaim this Trial over.  One of our number Luce has fallen, she will be remembered as a brave Nova Cat did all she could to fight with her fellow warriors.  And we have one who will join our number as a new member of the 450th Assault Cluster, Star Captain Grayson Nova Cat you are most welcome to our numbers.”  Grayson listened not quite believing it he’d done it, followed his father as a warrior in the Nova Cat Touman, a Star Captain he’d have his own Trinary perhaps now he’d be able to begin his own story in the Nova Cat Remembrance.

Hope you enjoy