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the butterfly

As the sand storm calmed down, Tank sat peacefully on the arm of his Dictator, enjoying the wind on his face. The desert has a way of calming all of his crew. As the wind blew his long blonde hair every where, leaving his face covered, he looked down. His dogs, Shadow and Beowulf, sat some twelve feet below watching him contemplate. Shadow, the shaggy black and brown crossbreed, knew this scene very well. If there wasn't a job tank would sit there untill dinner, thinking about the past, remembering his mother. He still wore the pink bandana she gave him for luck.
He and his siblings stole their first cavs just four years ago. About a year later, crew members started to show up. some were outcasts, some fugitives, some just tired of there old jobs. Since then, the crew grew into a competent mech unit, working like a family. In fact, thats how they treated each other. They were all equal, sharing input and training tips. But they always looked to tank and his siblings to lead them in battle.
He looked at the titanium alloy of his left hand, wondering if the corporations would ever give him a real job instead of these assasinations and guard jobs. Yeah, they paid well, but they didn't pay as well as a skirmish. Last time his brother talis had to go alone, because his ogre didn't need solid ammo. Luckly it was an assasination and the guy had an armored gravlimo.
His sisters mastodon sat in the shop for a refit or he'd have sent her. One shot one kill was always better. It would have cost for the ammo, but they would have saved on fuel for the drop ship. Jean was the best sniper they had and she would've done the job with one HE round.
"Hey hairball!"
Tank looked down at his brother Talis, " Whats up runt?"
        Talis, only 5'10" and stalky compaired to his brothers 6'5" beefy frame, was the smallest of the men in the unit, but was faster and just as vicious as Tank. He was the units representitive to the clients.
"You gotta see this"
"What?"
"Just get in here"
Tank dropped the twelve feet to the ground, landing between the dogs. 'These two are the reason for our name' he thought to himself. 'I wonder if we live up to the name warhound?'
As he walked to the old machine shop that they used for a base, he looked at the town in which They grew up and curently lived. It was so peacefull now. it was hard to beleive that a merc team lived there.
"whats up guys?" He asked as he entered.
Max looked at him. "Boss check the vid screen"
            Max, who was tank's WSO, turned up the volume:
            " Here on JJA things are heating up into an all out conflict between UCORs. It looks as though a war has started for dominance here. Reports are comming in all over about open combat in towns and mining areas. Mercs could be called in any d........."
   All of a sudden the screen went blank with a flash of laser fire.
Every member of the team looked at him wondering what to do next. As he contemplated his father Jak looked at him and noded.
" Go do you thing jr. Just let me get some more medics an supplies."
   Tank looked at him and thought about it."Get the mechs ready, loaded, and supply the drop ships. Talis, get us a contract. We're gonna have some fun."
The troops cheered and went to work. Talis found a contract with Hughes-Marietta. Max and the others preped the mechs and fixed the few that were down. His dad got the medics together as well as all the supplies and food. Tank took a gravjeep and got the pilots for the drop ships, sobered them up and got the prepaired. Jean got the ammo, spare parts and tents together. A meeting was called and the troops got there assighnments. Then the tanks, trucks and mechs where loaded on the ships. Finaly, the men and hounds where loaded up.
            " Lets go play guys"
With that they left, heading for their new assignment.