Colt Browning and Flecktarn

Pronouns: He/Him
Age: 31
Hometown: Lockner City, Mars
Sponsor: World History Intergalactic Toys
       and Miniatures
First Season: 329
Grand Victories: 0
Current Division: Ranged
Current Mech: Flecktarn

The actor who now calls himself Corporal Colt Browning got up early for his daily workout. It was still dark in his studio apartment on the edge of Lockner City as the dim light of the sun had not yet pierced the thin membrane that thickens the Martian atmosphere and makes it livable outside the ancient domed cities. The apartment’s single window looks over fields of vegetation and brush that once was rusty red dust over a thousand years ago. Today, like most of his mornings, the fields were gray in the pre-dusk murk.

Since agreeing to become a Battler six years ago this has been his morning routine. Colt was not unhappy with this situation. The role was fun, exciting, and, most importantly, steady. Actors of this era do not have it as bad as the profession had in the past from what he had read. Still the life of a small-time actor still lacked the glitz and glamor that true fame brought. He is far from the only actor-turned-Battler either. It was something present in the sport since the First Golden Age. Many actors saw it as a way to catapult themselves to stardom. That hadn't been the path Colt Browning ended up on, however. At least not yet.

After finishing up his warmups, Colt donned his running gear and headed out for his sixteen kilometer run. The route was one he had done often enough to make friends (and sometimes rivals) with the local dogs and cats. Today was no different. It was never any different. By the time he was back the dark had given way to an orangey-red dawn.

Once he gets home he showers, shaves, and brushes his teeth. Shortly after he receives a call from his sponsor, World History Intergalactic Toys and Miniatures. They always called at this time, every day, on the dot.

“Colt! Buddy! It's Manny, Manny Palmer! Your manager!” said the nasally voice of the manager delivering the same introduction he did almost every time he called the actor.

“Yes, Manny, I know,” replied Colt, flatly.

“Listen, kiddo, we got big news! BIG! NEWS!” shouted Manny, “We scored you an interview with the Circuit’s own Ali Suri. THE Ali Suri, Colt!”

Colt expresses mild shock. Ali Suri is a member of UMBC Creative and handles Battler pre- and post match interviews as well as hosting various press and related events. In the preseason he typically interviews Battlers that Creative has some kind of plan for, or at least, wants to make the diehard fans believe they have a plan for. 

So far Colt had been effectively a nobody within the Circuit. He had some Top 64 finishes, but nothing particularly notable. When the media did make note of him, it was always as a minor “middle-packer”. Someone who is fine but unremarkable. The fact that someone like Suri would be paying attention to Colt was surprising at best and suspicious at worst. 

“Manny!” Colt says, “Are you for real?”

“Really real, Colt-honey,” replies the manager, “They want you in New Manhattan by the end of the week. We already arranged transport. They'll be picking you up later today!”

“Woah, woah, woah,” responds the overwhelmed actor, “Hold on a second there, Manny. Did they tell you why?”

Confused, the manager replies, “Uh, what do you mean ‘why’, Colt?”

“Well, erm,” the actor stumbles, “like why me— us? Do they have some sort of plan that involves us for this season’s plot?”

Manny laughs, “Colt, friendo, you are a riot! Don't worry about what their motivation is! You know their lips are tighter than a lovers’ embrace. Just be there and answer the questions. Listen, I'll meet you there, we'll go over the basics. You'll do great, kid! I got to go though. See you later. Bye!”

With that Manny Palmer hangs up and Colt just sort of stands there, blankly staring in disbelief at the walls of his studio apartment on the edge of Lockner City, Mars.

The following days are a whirlwind of travel and rehearsal. From transport to subspace gate to transport to a hotel to WHIG T&M HQ and so forth. As is usual, the team is not given a list of questions or specific directions for the interview. Battlers are expected to be able to improvise and answer at the drop of a hat. Manny keeps insisting that Colt had to “push the brand” and makes the actor-turned-Battler memorize the product lineup that WHIG T&M has. Colt is made to go through additional training as well. Hours in the simulator, hours in the cockpit of his mech, Flecktarn, hours and hours of work. 

On the night before the interview Colt Browning stands before Flecktarn in the hangar his sponsor borrowed for the season. The actor stands there for no other reason than to admire the mech. It is a Maxion built Spinatio and nearly unaltered save for the small jumpjet backpack, knee-mounted shield on the left leg, and reinforced right shoulder pad. The backpack has mounts for both the main bazooka and secondary assault rifle. It is painted with a green camouflage pattern similar to its namesake. Colt and this lanky robot have been quite comfortable with one another over these past few years. WHIG T&M never pushes them this hard and he has never seen Manny so excited. He is exhausted, but he is a professional and knows he has a part to play. Most importantly, he wants to play the part. For the first time in his career he feels like he's getting somewhere, even before the interview happens. He smiles up at Flecktarn before turning in for the night.

On the street outside one of New Manhattan’s fancier restaurants stands the UMBC Creative staff member and official host, Ali Suri, along with his camera crew. He is a handsome man in his mid 30s with light brown skin, dark friendly eyes, a close cropped beard, and stylish hair that is neatly maintained. His pale lavender suit features fashionable wide shoulder pads, a tapered waist, and slender pants. With it he wears a bright pink necktie and a muted dark purple dress shirt. The mirrors from the space colony are still redirecting sunlight despite it getting late in the day. Nearby is a small greenspace perfect for staging an impromptu interview.

The automatic door to the restaurant slides open and Manny Palmer’s shout figure steps out dressed in an uneven business casual attire. Manny is only twenty six, but he looks anywhere from thirty to fifty depending on the light. He is a potato shaped man with messy hair, tiny eyes, and an almost grayish-purple complexion. Manny is picking at his teeth with a flosser as he looks back to say, “You know, Colt, buddy, that's why I love you. You're a—”

Suri runs up, microphone in hand, his crew already rolling, “Mr. Browning! Mr. Browning! Do you have a moment to spare for an interview?”

Manny steps aside to let his talent take his place knowing the script. From behind the short manager steps forward a figure reminiscent of a 1980's action movie star. On his feet are classic military style leather boots. His rough denim pants have a dark green and brown camo pattern. He is tall and muscular, with bronzed skin and a buzzcut. Colt removes his oversized aviators, flicks the arms closed, and clips them at the top of his black tank top.

“Ah, Mr. Suri,” he says to the clandestine interviewer, “Mr. Ali Suri! You and your little crew here caught me at the perfect time. We were just talking about how I'm going to crush the Ranged Division this year. Right, Manny?”

Without missing a beat, Manny Palmer switches to a much more submissive tone as if he is a henchman instead of the manager, “Oh, that's right, Mr. Browning! Right you are, one hundred percent!”

“That's great!” says Suri with a gleeful enthusiasm and a guiding gesture, “Why don't you come over to this bench and chat with me about it?”

The three of them walk towards the small greenspace, camera and audio operators and other production staff moving aside then following them. Instead of sitting at the bench, Colt Browning sets one foot on it while Suri stands close enough to display the obvious size difference between the two men.

“Mr. Browning, I'm so glad I have a chance to talk to you.”

“An honor, Ali.”

“I know it is! You're hard to track down,” the Creative rep lies. 

“It's important for a Battler to stay on their toes and keep others guessing,” the actor improvises.

“Yes, yes, that is true! I saw you're already signed up for Season 334 of UMBC. Last time you did very well. You almost made it out of the Top 64!”

“That's correct, Ali,” Colt replies, then grabbing the microphone, he looks straight into the camera with complete and total confidence, “and this time Flecktarn and I are going all the way to the Grand Victor podium!”

Suri grins widely and takes the mic back, “Yes, yes! I hope that is true. However, you can't deny the trouble you may face, yes? Who are you most, ah, gunning for, if you'll excuse the pun?”

“No excuses, Ali, no excuses,” says Colt awkwardly while he actually considers the question. 

The character of Colt Browning does not have any real rivals to speak of, even after five seasons. He faced many of the well known Battlers of the Ranged Division, and almost always lost against them. He scours his brain trying to come up with a good option. Sweet Alvarez? Osiris O’Malley? No, too small-scale. Galahad? Everyone is trying to knock him off the top. Still, he figures he might as well go big as he might not get the chance again.

“Look, there's a lot of tough competition here in the Ranged Division. My bazooka is always locked on to that English son of a bitch, Galahad, but don't think for a second I don't have an eye on that four-legged fucker, Hector 99!”

“Ah, yes, yes! Aim for the top. Might as well have the highest ambitions if you have any ambitions at all.”

“That's right, Ali!” the actor says with a clap of his hands.

“Now, if you don't mind,” says the presenter through narrowing eyes and a wry smile that chills the actor, “the Circuit Super Computer has not been especially kind with your star rating. Ten, nine, ten, nine, six. While you're still certainly above average, are you confident against those much higher rated Battlers?”

Offense = 10
Defense = 9
Agility = 10
Battler = 9
Starpower = 6

Colt’s brow furrows and he looks at the interviewer with intensity, “For every Goliath there is a Davis. For every Suetonius there's a Boudicca. For every SS officer there's a Vietcong warrior. For every Dr. Schizly there are the brave fighters of the Coalition!”

Off screen Manny winces at some of the historical inaccuracies, but is proud Colt was able to make that speech from off the top of his head.

“Ah, yes, I see you're a very educated man, Mr. Browning,” replies Suri, using the response to pivot to his next question, “Your sponsor, World History Intergalactic Toys and Miniatures, must have taught you well. Correct me if I'm wrong, but they make tiny historical replicas, right?”

“All right, kid, this is where to pitch the product!” Manny thinks, almost out loud.

With his expression softening, the actor playing Colt responds, “Oh, they're not just replicas, Ali!” The larger man places a hand on the interviewer’s shoulder and continues, “WHIG T&M makes all sorts of miniature vehicles, armaments, and set-dressings for education and entertainment purposes from historic to contemporary, from figurines to model kits. If it was a human-made thing in the last fifty thousand years, WHIG T&M probably has a small version of it!”

There is a brief pause and Manny mouths a phrase silently to Colt. The Battler says, “oh, haha, actually they just started releasing an ancient beasts line. You ever hear of a giant ground sloth, Ali?”

“Uhmm, no sir, I don't think I have.”

“Ah, that's too bad, they were pretty cool.”

“So, then, you're pretty happy with your sponsor?”

Manny and Colt’s eyes lock for the smallest of moments, “Yeah, of course! They're great and do an important thing by educating people through entertainment.”

“Ha, ha, I see, well I think that's all the time we have for now. Thank you so much, Mr. Browning, for giving me this chance to chat!”

With a big dopey grin, Colt replied, “Pleasure’s all mine, Ali! Pleasure’s all mine!”

The producer yells “cut!” and everyone has a quick moment of decompression before the crew moves into action getting everything checked and reviewed. Ali Suri places a hand on the back of the actor and guides him off to the side, beckoning Manny to come as well.

When the Creative rep speaks his tone is drenched in a casual venom, “Okay, that was great for your first time! You can keep the outfit too. Looks good on you, but now for why I really wanted to talk to you.”

Something drops in the actor’s chest to the pit of his stomach. He knew it couldn't have been just a straight interview. Creative always has a plan. It always wants to nudge things in certain directions and get Battlers involved in ridiculous plots. That was part of the joy of the sport!

Suri continues, his voice low, “When you make Top 8 this year you're going to face an opponent sponsored by the Reclamation Services Cooperative. You've heard of them?”

Both Colt and Manny shake their heads, but Colt is more focused on the “When you make Top 8” part that he would have said “no” regardless. Top 8? He's barely ever come close to Top 8.

“Ah, well, that's not surprising. Regardless, they specialize in restoring and reconstructing old Dark Age machines. We think their Battler will be the perfect rival for you. Or more exactly, you would be the perfect foil for her.” 

Colt thinks, “They want me to be a villain, huh? To prop up someone else's career? I guess, it's better than nothing.”

Ali continues, “She is piloting a refurbished mech that many consider instrumental in ending the Second Dark Age. While I mean no offense, but you and WHIG? You make simulacra of ancient war machines. Some of which committed the greatest horrors known to humanity. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, of course, but think of how you two reflect each other. It's damned poetry!”

Colt says, “You want me to get to Top 8 and then lose?” 

“Hey hey hey!” interrupts Manny, “Ain't match fixing against the Charter?”

“No, and yes,” replies Suri with an unnerving smirk, “Creative won't be engaging in any sort of influence beyond what we're discussing here. We're just very good at making predictions, I assure you.”

Neither man knows what to make of it. This was the first time either is dealing so directly with anyone from the Creative team. They heard stories, everyone has, but the shift in Suri's demeanor and how blunt his proposal has been was shocking.

“Why are you telling us?” asks the confused Battler.

“Ah, yes,” replies Suri, “It’s a little known secret, but we in Creative like to make sure our talent has context for our plans and consents to them. We want you to be able to sell yourself, you understand?”

Manny Palmer understands that all advertising is good advertising. This meant more people playing with WHIG’s little weapons. The actor playing Colt Browning sees the opportunity he had been waiting for. He could springboard into a real acting career! The two exchange a look.

One of Suri’s crew walks up and says, “Ali, we gotta get over to where the next interview will be.”

“Oh, so soon? Well thanks, Clark,” replies Suri before turning back to the duo and asking with a grin, “So, what do you say?”

Colt looks around, looks at Manny Palmer, then looks back at the Creative rep, “If you're so good at predictions then you already know the answer.”

They shake hands.