In the Shadows: My Mysterious Meetings with The Baron

You know, when you’re a Battle Mech Pilot like myself, you’ve got to be ready for anything. But nothing could have prepared me for the strange encounters I’ve had with The Baron - my mysterious benefactor who footed the bill for my trusty mech ‘Behemoth’ and helped launch my career in the arena. I mean, this guy’s got connections, or so it seems. Our first meeting was in a dimly lit alleyway off one of Karkern’s busiest streets. I was approached by this tall, slender figure in a tailored suit that seemed to swallow him whole. He introduced himself only as The Baron, his voice low and gravelly, like the sound of shifting gears in an old engine. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: he’d cover all my expenses if I agreed to split my winnings with him down the line. Easy decision, right? But here’s the thing - every time we meet, it’s always under these weird circumstances. Like he’s hiding from someone… or something.

Take our last meeting for instance. We were on one of Karkern’s many space stations, surrounded by the hum of machinery and the constant flow of people rushing to catch their next transport. The Baron showed up out of nowhere, his face obscured by shadows despite the bright lighting around us. He just appeared, like a ghost from the mech graveyards of old Russia. And then he was gone just as suddenly, leaving behind only a cryptic message about ‘watching my back’ in upcoming matches. It’s enough to make your head spin, but I’ve learned to roll with it. After all, when you’re climbing the ranks like I am, you take help wherever you can get it - even if it comes from some shadowy figure who seems to have an agenda all his own.

But what really gets me is how he always knows exactly what’s going on in my life. Like he’s got eyes everywhere, watching and waiting for just the right moment to strike up a conversation or offer some piece of advice that always seems to pay off in the end. It’s unnerving, but at the same time… it’s nice to know someone’s got your back when you’re flying solo through the cutthroat world of Battle Mech Pilots like myself.