Tonya moved her mech's pedals in tune with the machines slow steps forward, using the control stick to increase speed, and the lean bars on either end to adjust the sway and direction-the sort of bicycle arrangement she had sort of designed herself, it was standard among newer mecha-a great advantage being it could be used for quick evasive maneuvers. As she turned the mech, her seat turned-another small innovation, orienting her bubble canopy toward her next destination. She reflected that the machine was superbly balanced, though it certainly needed some time in the shop to fine-tune it's calibration. She felt the left leg was dragging a bit-could feel the tiniest vibration going up through her leg harness. Another advantage. These machines spoke to you...maybe some water had gotten in the left-anterior piston. She increased steam pressure to the left leg by the barest amount, almost a peck, really.
Compared to many mechs in the service, the Harbringer was a dream to drive-she felt bad for Rumman, who still had to manipulate the Hamkars wooden-handle pulleys, and overhead levers like a deranged orchestra conductor. Then again, it was possible he had already customized it in ways she couldn't tell. It was a bit of an unspoken rule of conduct not to pry on the specifications about another pilots cockpit...
Alright, half of her squad was giving the go-light. As if she could have enough modifications? She had long since learned to slave systems together-the 'go-board' she had soldered to her controls was linked into all the mechs into her squad by the backup communication system, which used the archaic but occasionally useful dot-dash method. A green light meant your mech was operating normally-you just sent the letters 'GG', and it turned the light on her board from yellow-all good, but waiting-to green.
If you had a mechanical problem, you did the dot-dash code for the word 'bust'. Once her mech got that signal, the light on her board would go red-big trouble. Given how often mechs broke down, it was a vital utility-and you couldn't always rely on radios, either, which were just as finicky.