"Hmmm, rather quiet."
The finely dressed fellow was a strange
one as compared with the rest of his clan. What was even stranger still
was the fact that while he was on his way to the Mech bay he had not seen
one drunk or passed out sheeper in the halls yet.
"There's something wrong. Maybe
I missed something again. Wouldn't be the first time."
Click, click, click, through the halls
of the Clan Black Sheep he walked wondering as to the where abouts of his
comrades. Just as The fellow rounded the last corner he could hear what
he thought was battle sounds. With a gentle sureness he pulled out a side
arm and a bottle of fine Goldschlager from his leg holsters. He then walked
to the door of the mech bay and listened.
"No this doesn't sound like a mech
battle but its been so long I don't think I even remember." Thought
the clanner. A voice rang out in the the room that could be heard through
the heavey steel doors.
"HOLA!"
What? Hola? A smile lept on to his face.
Thats no battle! Thats an old fashion Sheeper Party! Kickin the access
panel. The door open to revel the loudest, most riotous party this side
of Terra. There was Sheep every where! Along with the ration standard bagel
weenies there was a vast variety of alcohols. He put away his side arm
in favour of the bagel weenies at the nearest table. A loud bellow suddenly
could be picked up out of the deafenning crowd noise
"Hey Boss!"
"Hmf thrf Mmtmnn!" Spitting
some of the bagel weenie he was devouring as he spun around trying to return
the greeting.
"Isn't this great? On the battle
path to Terra again!"
"Huh? Umm, is it that year already?"
;
struggeling the concept of something besides killing and drinking.
"Man you kill me with your sense
of humour. Have you done The precheck of your mech yet?"
"Umm, I uhh, I was just about to
do that. Yah goin to do that."
"OK I'll be over here when you get
done. Got some of the special brew hidden for later"
"Yup, OK sounds good." Off
he headed to his old mech. Hurrying along so that he doesn't miss too much
of the party. That mech was a site to see. 15 years is a lot of time to
do mods in. The Safety Orange (Safety First) paint job was the first thing
he did during the truce. They're still finding spray cans through out the
bay. Replaced the life support with a schlager helmet, extra heat sinks
to keep the beer cold, plus others which are highly guarded sheeper drinking
devices. While climbing up to the cockpit he remember back to when he blazed
through the battle field. Not on purpose of course, when he first put in
mods on his mech he had a wiring problem which caused the mech to catch
on fire. Its fixed now. Just a note for the future, never put alcohol on
a fire!
The hatch opened with a bit of hesitation
due to the time that it hadn't been used (not that the mech hasn't been
used, just never replaced the front wind shield before this). When he climbed
in the lights illuminated. Spottless, As clean as the day after I got her
(first owner was a pig). Just then one of his cleaning cockrouches scurried
past. With a proud smile the fellow remarked
"I'm so glad I took the time to
train them. Computer intial systems check."
"Schlag Dog, it's sooooo good to
have you in me again." Seductively whispered the AI unit.
"Yah, Yah just do the systems check
ok There's a party going on."
The cockpit seemed to jump to activity
with sounds and alarms going off, lights flashing on/off/inactive. All
this time the fellow watched the party going on down below. Then silence.
"Systems are fully operational."
smoothly toned
"Thank you."
With this he knew there was nothiing
that could stand before the Great Clan Black Sheep. He jumped out of his
cockpit to the top of his mech and yelled at the top of his lungs.
"SNARF!!!!!"
"I'm mighty, I'm fearsome, I'm one
of the 500 minus 496!" Just then out of the loud party the clanner
heard a voice
"Hey Boss!" Martman then through
a bottle of Goldschlager to the fellow at the top of the mech.
The clanner on top of the mech turned
just in time to see the bottle smack right between the eyes.
"So What do you think Wheels?"
"Thats going to be a rather nasty
contusion. He he he, we'll check on him in the morning."