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GreyWolfActual
Catalyst Demo TeamPosts: 13386 LARP'ing is fun!  
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So my apologies for not posting til today. My presence at CoDCon prevented me from A: finishing in time, and B: being able to post it (even if I had finished). But here it is, perhaps a day late, but I hope, not a dollar short.
Anywho, today we’re talking about the Goliath Scorpions. They’re one of the Warden Home clans, which doesn’t bode well for their continued existence post-3067. What makes them unique is twofold. First off, they are druggies. Addicts to necrosia, a poison derived from the Goliath Scorpion. I don’t know whose bright idea that was, but by 3067, many warriors are either addicted and/or obsessed with the belief that they are guided by their hallucinogenic visions. To me, the thought of the US Army making strategic decisions based on LSD-derived visions seems insane, yet somehow the Scorpions take it as a very reasonable course of action.
Their second unique quality is their obsession with historical artifacts. The most interesting case of this, and one which occurs during the Jihad, is their Trial of Possession for the Eridani Light Horse garrison of Huntress. The ELH is the pinnacle of combined-arms forces integration, and their integration into the touman of the Scorpions gives them a bit of a boost in raw strength, but also in vehicle integration.
The latter part is quite useful because the Scorpions, more so than most clans, give us an indication of not putting much (or any) stock in vehicles. The key to this assessment is that FM:U clearly states: “A typical Scorpion Galaxy, often numbering two hundred mechs, two hundred aerospace fighters, a thousand elementals, and the requisite support staff...” Nowhere are vehicles mentioned in the typical organization. Nor are the galaxy write-ups given any inidcation of vehicles. As usual with FM:Warden Clans there is no decription of vehicles given there. Which means we have to turn to the usual other sources.
First amongst those will be our factories list. Alas, IS Atlas doesn’t give us much of a breakdown of factories in Clan Space. Nor do the TROs really help us out with the factories, as most vehicles are made in “various” locations. Still, the TROs give us our first indication of what the Scorpions like. TRO:3060’s clan vehicles have only two which mention the Scorpions by name, the Donar Assault Helicopter and Anhur Transport. TRO:3067 has nothing for the Scorpions. So we’re looking at two VTOLs as the only units that the Scorpions’ usage of is noteworthy for.
So let’s turn to the RATs, because we’re running out of other places to turn.
Light
6 Mithras
5 Odin
5 Svantovit
4 Donar
4 Zorya
3 Beagle
3 Ripper
2 Asshur
2 Gabriel
1 Shamash
1 Anhur
Medium
12 Hachiman
9 Ares
9 Ku
2 Chaparral
2 Zephyr
1 Epona
1 Maxim
Heavy
15 Ishtar
10 Oro
4 SRM Carrier
3 Magi
2 Burke
1 Athena
1 Demon
Assault
16 Mars
11 Huitzilopochtli
4 Fury
3 Rhino
2 Puma
Now, as regular readers know, I like to eliminate all vehicles on the RATs which appear only twice or fewer as they tend not to be representative of the faction. However, this time I’m making an exception. Let’s look at the light vees. The Anhur was mentioned as being used by the Scorpions, yet it only appears once. That’s not the big thing though. No vehicle on the RAT for the light vees is duplicated on the RAT. There's also the bit about all those Star League vehicles. So let's just look at the list of Clan and Star League vees listed.
The total then is a score of 112 for the Clan Vees versus 32 for the Star League (and other Inner Sphere vees). That means almost a quarter of all the vees in the Scorpions are of Star League vintage. It tells us a lot. For starters, it fits in with what we know of their eclecticism and love for all things Star League. It also mixes up well with their complete lack of either vehicle production or usage. They don’t make clan vees, nor use vees and so their old, Brian Cache, vehicles don’t get destroyed. It also means that the Eridani Light Horse will have an easier time fitting in as vehicles they are used to will be in supply, though the quanity unknown.
In short while we can analyze Wolf’s Dragoons for a vehicle doctrine, and find one, the Scorpions take that to a new level. Still, we should be able to draw some conclusions. So let’s go back to the lists and eliminate anything rare.
Light
6 Mithras
5 Odin
5 Svantovit
4 Donar
4 Zorya
3 Beagle
3 Ripper
Medium
12 Hachiman
9 Ares
9 Ku
Heavy
15 Ishtar
10 Oro
4 SRM Carrier
3 Magi
Assault
16 Mars
11 Huitzilopochtli
4 Fury
3 Rhino
The lights are still a mess. They appear to prefer recon with them, but for the most part it appears that the Scorpions just use whatever is available from the light tables. Medium wise it is the exact opposite. The Hachiman is a missle boat. The Ku prefers long-range, direct-fire weaponry. The Ares falls right into the middle and uses the LRMs of one and the ER Large of the other. So their medium vees prefer long-range fighting. The heavy vees prefer to mix it up between the Oro and Ishtar with their autocannons and the SRM Carrier’s cloud of missiles. That brings us to the assault vees who again appear to favor long-range fighting via every possible weapon system.
So the doctrine is pretty mixed up, but fairly homogenous, within weight classes. The only other thing I think should be noted is the preference for missiles within the medium vehicles. The Scorpions are great believers in accuracy and dueling. Missiles are explicitly shunned by Scorpion culture. Their presence in the vees can be explained perhaps as the vehicles receiving the cast offs from the “better” warriors (though one wonders why the Scorpions would get clan missile systems given their dislike for them). It could also be explained as the vees trying to fill a gap in the touman. I’m sure there are other ways you can explain it, but it does leave us on an interesting footnote to the Scorpion vees.
So that’s the Scorpion vehicle force in a nutshell. They are quite an interesting group of people, made moreso by their acquisition of part of the Eridani Light Horse. I can’t but help wonder if they’ll survive the Jihad. If they do, one thing is for sure: vehicles will become a significantly greater part of their touman than they are now. |
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"My name is Saul Tigh, I'm an officer in the Colonial Fleet. Whatever else I am, whatever else it means, that's the man I want to be, and if I die today, its the man I'll be."
Last Edit by GreyWolfActual
13 Apr, 2008, 13:57:15 pm
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Ian Sharpe
Lieutenant Colonel Posts: 8010 Advocate of disproportionate military response.
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| Scorpion vee usage is totally defensive, third-line militia troops. They get whatever is left, mostly because every clan gets a vee RAT. They aren't intended for reece duty, but as a last line of defence against anything that does past the mechs in a no holds barred battle. |
That's pretty much how the world works: not through Conspiracies Carrying Out Grand Strategies, but through Affinity Networks. There is no Inner Party who understands all and has the future all plotted out. There are just a lot of hustlers on the make, guys who have friends who have friends. - Steve Sailer
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gyedid
Lieutenant Posts: 1456
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Their second unique quality is their obsession with historical artifacts. The most interesting case of this, and one which occurs during the Jihad, is their Trial of Possession for the Eridani Light Horse garrison of Huntress. The ELH is the pinnacle of combined-arms forces integration, and their integration into the touman of the Scorpions gives them a bit of a boost in raw strength, but also in vehicle integration.
I *really* can't imagine this being a stable arrangement. The ELH may share the Scorpions' interest in history, but not their love of hallucinogens. Plus, they don't have a reputation as being sharpshooters--they've always relied primarily on superior tactics and cohesion to best their opposition. Despite being a piece of the Star League, I see the...71st Light Horse is it...as being considered at best second rate within Clan Goliath Scorpion.
cheers,
Gabe |
"he is. but for a women, he is like shoes, sounds not that important, but very comfortable.that kind of comfort only the person who wear them will know how good he is". --My wife Jing, on men Sun-Tzu Liao-DAVION. WE WANT TO BELIEVE!!"Criminal stupidity is something that has plagued the IS for centuries, as a Mechwarrior you'd better come prepared  " --LastChanceCav
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GreyWolfActual
Catalyst Demo TeamPosts: 13386 LARP'ing is fun!
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| It doesn't have to be a stable arrangement. The Ryuken and Legions of Vega have never occupied a stable position in the DCMS, yet their adoption of non-traditional tactics (for the DCMS) has unarguably been a huge benefit to them. So it can be for the ELH/Goliath Scorpions. |
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"My name is Saul Tigh, I'm an officer in the Colonial Fleet. Whatever else I am, whatever else it means, that's the man I want to be, and if I die today, its the man I'll be."
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Maelwys
Major Posts: 6195
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With the Scorpion's habit of keeping a codex for individual vehicles/mechs/fighters, I wonder how many of their Star League designs have wound up in their museums, or are used as signs of status even n the rarely seen tank corps. Even though they don't appear on the RAT, we can probably assume the Scorpions have access to all the Star League era vehicles for the most part.
Wouldn't it suck for someone going after the Temple of Nine Muses to run across pre-plotted artillery targets saturated by Padilla, Chaparral, and Huey fire, while Athenas and Alacrons smash a unit to pieces at range, followed by Shamashes and Gabriels picking off the stragglers.
Depending on how much the Goliath Scorpions have recovered, those tank crews could be trained to Star League standards, instead of the (probably) haphazard training that other Clans (with a few notable exceptions) give to their tank crews. They may still be regular or green, but atleast there would be a solid doctrine behind them. |
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Arkansas Warrior
Lieutenant Colonel Posts: 9907 Men fight most fiercely in defense of their Home.
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I *really* can't imagine this being a stable arrangement. The ELH may share the Scorpions' interest in history, but not their love of hallucinogens. Plus, they don't have a reputation as being sharpshooters--they've always relied primarily on superior tactics and cohesion to best their opposition. Despite being a piece of the Star League, I see the...71st Light Horse is it...as being considered at best second rate within Clan Goliath Scorpion.
cheers,
Gabe
It's only the Seekers that are especially obsessed with the Star League and Necrosia. I'm sure there are lenty of 'average' Scorpions out there for whom those are mere overlays atop a more standard Clan culture. Which still isn't going to be easy for the ELH to get used to, but they'll adapt, I'm sure. |
Recipient of ColBosch's Pedant of the Month Award for February 2007, for Reply #27 here. 'shovels we have, shovels we will use, bayonet charge or not.'-Beachhead1973 FGC Personas: Galaxy Commander Carolus Magnus, Rho Galaxy, Clan Ghost Bear Field Marshal Nathaniel Hasek, Capellan March, Federated Suns.
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gyedid
Lieutenant Posts: 1456
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And I could add: the ELH are ALL FREEBORNS. That's probably the major reason why they'd be second-rate among the Scorpions.
cheers,
Gabe |
"he is. but for a women, he is like shoes, sounds not that important, but very comfortable.that kind of comfort only the person who wear them will know how good he is". --My wife Jing, on men Sun-Tzu Liao-DAVION. WE WANT TO BELIEVE!!"Criminal stupidity is something that has plagued the IS for centuries, as a Mechwarrior you'd better come prepared " --LastChanceCav
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20th Militia
Master Sergeant Posts: 362 Now you know why he left the Vault
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And I could add: the ELH are ALL FREEBORNS. That's probably the major reason why they'd be second-rate among the Scorpions.
cheers,
Gabe
Not necessarily, remember that the Scorps need freeborns to fill the gaps in their tourman, since so many trash trueborn didn't survive in the days before necrosia, when you had to survive a goliath scorpion sting to be accepted as a warrior. Nor for that matter do I see the use of necrosia as a problem with regards to integrating the ELH. After all, necrosia isn't any more dangerous than alcohol (according to a FM:WC sidebar) and there's no prohibition of alcohol in modern militaries, except maybe in the Islamic world. I've always thought of necrosia as absinthe, only with wormwood replaced by venom.
As for their survival in the Age of Destruction I like to think they're trying a reverse merger of sorts with the ELH, not unlike how the Atari of today isn't the company that so many of us wasted our time with back in the late 70's/early 80's. Load up those Potemkins and sneak their way towards the sphere, more like the Bears and less like the Cats, with Chi galaxy leading the way. But where to settle? Maybe bunking with the Ravens whom they're dealing with, possibly some lesser known planet in the Free Worlds League while the central government is still in flux. Or just go all out and make nice with the Magistry, you could make a fortune selling necrosia as a "natural enhancement". |
"Better for the Scorpions to just plastinate the lot of them (a la Body Worlds) and put them on display in the Roche museum."- Gyedid on what Clan Goliath Scorpion should do with the Eridani Light Horse. “You and your puppet Kerensky ought to be pleased that I had a miserable time on that Davion tub coming here. Davion ships are as badly serviced as a Kurita brothel and as ugly as a Capellan whore, eh, gentlemen? Oh, but of course Lady Steiner wouldn't know about such things.”- Ewan Marik (Handbook: House Marik, pg 30) Have dropship, will travel. Only the "self-employed" love their job: http://tinyurl.com/titian-temptress
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Maelwys
Major Posts: 6195
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Yeah, but the days of using real goliath scorpion venom was 200 years ago, I think they've recovered from that by now 
Oddly, the FM:WC doesn't really say what Clan Goliath Scorpion thinks of freeborns. But considering the ELH is a link to both Star Leagues, I'm guessing there won't be too many problems (And the entire Clan is into Star League artifacts, its just the Seekers are more so). |
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GreyWolfActual
Catalyst Demo TeamPosts: 13386 LARP'ing is fun!
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| I think the mere fact that the Scorpions went out and trialed for the Eridani Light Horse shows what they think of them. |
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"My name is Saul Tigh, I'm an officer in the Colonial Fleet. Whatever else I am, whatever else it means, that's the man I want to be, and if I die today, its the man I'll be."
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Jellico
Lieutenant Colonel Posts: 6419
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| To stop those naughty children playing with them, put them back in their boxes and put them on the top shelf where they can't be damaged and will hold their value. |
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gyedid
Lieutenant Posts: 1456
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To stop those naughty children playing with them, put them back in their boxes and put them on the top shelf where they can't be damaged and will hold their value.
Precisely. Jellico, you hit it on the head.
If the absorbed Horsemen are actually committed to battle, they'll take losses, some of which may be personnel.
Where are the replacements supposed to come from? It's not like they have the ELH dependents as a recruiting pool anymore.
If they fill vacancies with Scorpion warriors (even if they're freeborn), then it's not a living piece of the old Star League anymore--it'll just become another Scorpion unit.
Better for the Scorpions to just plastinate the lot of them (a la Body Worlds) and put them on display in the Roche museum.
(Seriously, did the writers actually think through what the ramifications of this would be? )
cheers,
Gabe |
"he is. but for a women, he is like shoes, sounds not that important, but very comfortable.that kind of comfort only the person who wear them will know how good he is". --My wife Jing, on men Sun-Tzu Liao-DAVION. WE WANT TO BELIEVE!!"Criminal stupidity is something that has plagued the IS for centuries, as a Mechwarrior you'd better come prepared " --LastChanceCav
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Arkansas Warrior
Lieutenant Colonel Posts: 9907 Men fight most fiercely in defense of their Home.
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| But none of the current ELH were members during the Star League days. That's like saying that a Star League vintage mech is only Star League vintage until it gets a new pilot. So long as the unit survives, personnel turnover can(and indeeed must) take place. The peron in the uniform doesn't matter, so long as the next person who wears it wears it the same way. So no, they can't just plop any random Scorpion into the ELH, but they can train Scorpions in the ELH ways and traditions in anticipation of the day when replacements become necessary. |
Recipient of ColBosch's Pedant of the Month Award for February 2007, for Reply #27 here. 'shovels we have, shovels we will use, bayonet charge or not.'-Beachhead1973 FGC Personas: Galaxy Commander Carolus Magnus, Rho Galaxy, Clan Ghost Bear Field Marshal Nathaniel Hasek, Capellan March, Federated Suns.
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20th Militia
Master Sergeant Posts: 362 Now you know why he left the Vault
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If the absorbed Horsemen are actually committed to battle, they'll take losses, some of which may be personnel.
Where are the replacements supposed to come from? It's not like they have the ELH dependents as a recruiting pool anymore.
If they fill vacancies with Scorpion warriors (even if they're freeborn), then it's not a living piece of the old Star League anymore--it'll just become another Scorpion unit.
It's the ELH itself, not the warriors within, that are Star League relics. If they do in fact make a run for the Sphere I should think the dependants will be delighted to be reunited with their families. That begs the question: just what percentage of the ELH are descendants of their Star League progenitors? How open is the recruitment?
Better for the Scorpions to just plastinate the lot of them (a la Body Worlds) and put them on display in the Roche museum.
A carbonated beverage makes for an unpleasant nasal douche. And now my keyboard is a mess as well, good job!  Mind if I quote this? |
"Better for the Scorpions to just plastinate the lot of them (a la Body Worlds) and put them on display in the Roche museum."- Gyedid on what Clan Goliath Scorpion should do with the Eridani Light Horse. “You and your puppet Kerensky ought to be pleased that I had a miserable time on that Davion tub coming here. Davion ships are as badly serviced as a Kurita brothel and as ugly as a Capellan whore, eh, gentlemen? Oh, but of course Lady Steiner wouldn't know about such things.”- Ewan Marik (Handbook: House Marik, pg 30) Have dropship, will travel. Only the "self-employed" love their job: http://tinyurl.com/titian-temptress
Last Edit by 20th Militia
16 Apr, 2008, 09:18:45 am
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gyedid
Lieutenant Posts: 1456
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A carbonated beverage makes for an unpleasant nasal douche. And now my keyboard is a mess as well, good job! Mind if I quote this?
Sure, be my guest. I've always wondered what it took to get a quotable on the board
cheers,
Gabe |
"he is. but for a women, he is like shoes, sounds not that important, but very comfortable.that kind of comfort only the person who wear them will know how good he is". --My wife Jing, on men Sun-Tzu Liao-DAVION. WE WANT TO BELIEVE!!"Criminal stupidity is something that has plagued the IS for centuries, as a Mechwarrior you'd better come prepared " --LastChanceCav
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gyedid
Lieutenant Posts: 1456
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In all seriousness now...
Seriously, the only way I see Clan Goliath Scorpion getting any use out of their absorbed Horsemen is to use then as an OpFor unit to train their (probably second-line) troops in combined-arms, mixed-unit deployment--similar to how the Clan's 1st Cateran Cluster sometimes operates. In the future, we perhaps shouldn't be surprised to see Scorpion second-line units with Stars comprised of 2 'Mech Points, 1 tank Point (that's 2 tanks, right?), and two Svantovits (with infantry, either conventional or battle armour).
cheers,
Gabe |
"he is. but for a women, he is like shoes, sounds not that important, but very comfortable.that kind of comfort only the person who wear them will know how good he is". --My wife Jing, on men Sun-Tzu Liao-DAVION. WE WANT TO BELIEVE!!"Criminal stupidity is something that has plagued the IS for centuries, as a Mechwarrior you'd better come prepared " --LastChanceCav
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gyedid
Lieutenant Posts: 1456
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It's the ELH itself, not the warriors within, that are Star League relics. If they do in fact make a run for the Sphere I should think the dependants will be delighted to be reunited with their families. That begs the question: just what percentage of the ELH are descendants of their Star League progenitors? How open is the recruitment?
Well, the current ELH CO (is he still?), Edwin Amis, was born in the Taurian Concordat--yet he's serving with a command that used to be SLDF. So...
cheers,
Gabe |
"he is. but for a women, he is like shoes, sounds not that important, but very comfortable.that kind of comfort only the person who wear them will know how good he is". --My wife Jing, on men Sun-Tzu Liao-DAVION. WE WANT TO BELIEVE!!"Criminal stupidity is something that has plagued the IS for centuries, as a Mechwarrior you'd better come prepared " --LastChanceCav
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20th Militia
Master Sergeant Posts: 362 Now you know why he left the Vault
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In all seriousness now...
Seriously, the only way I see Clan Goliath Scorpion getting any use out of their absorbed Horsemen is to use then as an OpFor unit to train their (probably second-line) troops in combined-arms, mixed-unit deployment--similar to how the Clan's 1st Cateran Cluster sometimes operates. In the future, we perhaps shouldn't be surprised to see Scorpion second-line units with Stars comprised of 2 'Mech Points, 1 tank Point (that's 2 tanks, right?), and two Svantovits (with infantry, either conventional or battle armour).
cheers,
Gabe
At least Delta and Tau have been trained in Inner Sphere tactics (FM:U), and by the look of things, Tau could really use the help. It was Alpha that claimed the ELH as isorla in the first place (JHS:3070), and didn't adhere to zelbregin in doing so. Now if Alpha is already fighting dirty, and Dinour gets Delta promoted anytime soon, there may well be a need for training that resembles bootcamp more than fencing school.
With the attention to detail Scorps are known for, not to mention the need to keep Chi galaxy equipped (you just know they'll go through material like nobody's business) in the future they'll use the standard cluster/trinary organization, but with vehicle points replacing mechs, protos replacing aerospace, and conventionals replacing elementals. Yes, this leaves the second line seriously lacking in aerospace, but that's nothing new. Mechs/Aeros/BA for the frontlines. |
"Better for the Scorpions to just plastinate the lot of them (a la Body Worlds) and put them on display in the Roche museum."- Gyedid on what Clan Goliath Scorpion should do with the Eridani Light Horse. “You and your puppet Kerensky ought to be pleased that I had a miserable time on that Davion tub coming here. Davion ships are as badly serviced as a Kurita brothel and as ugly as a Capellan whore, eh, gentlemen? Oh, but of course Lady Steiner wouldn't know about such things.”- Ewan Marik (Handbook: House Marik, pg 30) Have dropship, will travel. Only the "self-employed" love their job: http://tinyurl.com/titian-temptress
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