Omar Durand

Omar Durand
Personal
Also known as	Demolition
Affiliation	Galahad Stables
Profile
Profession	Arena Gladiator

Omar "Demolition" Durand was a MechWarrior and finalist for the 3132 Grand Tournament.

History

Durand's style was considered very gentlemanly, a man known far and wide for his award-winning combat style and his unwavering sense of sportsmanship.

Ranked fourth in that year's regular season, he was one of the main contenders.

In the first round he was paired against "Iron" Rance Xabat in Ishiyama Arena. The fight was one of the longest games of cat-and-mouse in tournament history with his hit-and-run hunt beneath Iron Mountain. Weaving through the artificial maze of tunnels and mineshafts, emerging only to unload a hellish burst of laser and missile fire each time, Durand finally wore down the thicker armor of Xabat's Black Knight, eventually felling the fourteenth-ranked fighter with a double-leg knockout, despite his own damaged sensors.

In his own words, Omar said that there were more than enough close calls during his second, third and fourth matches, that prior to his fight against Ian Smythe, the semifinal match was out of sight.

For his fifth match he was paired to fight against Ian "Boltster" Smythe in The Factory Arena. The arena was the scene for an equally fierce duel. Durand, in his element among the twisted and cluttered confines of The Factory, matched his Marauder shot for shot against Smythe's Thunderbolt in what can only be described as a brutal slugfest often fought at point-blank range. Showing his characteristic sense of chivalry, Durand often hesitated when Smythe's machine stumbled over wreckage on the arena floor, giving his opponent time to recover and defend himself, though it ultimately only delayed the inevitable. In a spectacular final volley, Symthe was felled with a critical engine hit that sent the lighter machine into an instant shutdown.

For his semifinal match, he was paired against "Roaring" Ronald Ghost Bear, the previous year's champion, in Iron Mountain. Durand, driving a rare customized Cygnus, faced off against Ghost Bear's Mad Cat II in the winding tunnels, often delivering devastating hit-and-fade strikes with his paired heavy autocannons that ripped massive slabs of armor away from the Clan-born champion's machine. Despite a severe pounding, Ghost Bear gave as good as he got, relentlessly blazing away with a quartet of heavy lasers at every opportunity. The two gladiators continued this lethal game of cat and mouse for over ten minutes, an endurance record to any warrior who's ever squared off against "Roaring" Ronald, but by the halfway point it became clear that Durand's style was beginning to wear at his foe's patience. Ghost Bear, eager to end the duel with every volley, often overheated his 'Mech, pushing its sinks to the very point of shutdown several times. Indeed, it was only Durand's sense of chivalry, according to some, that spared the champion a more ignominious defeat that what he got.

In the final match he fought against Shayne "Shockwave" Kirkpatrick in The Factory.

Fighting in their trademark 'Mechs for this final battle, Shayne "Shockwave" Kirkpatrick stormed onto the floor with her 80-ton custom Zeus, Thunderstorm, to square off against Durand and his Vulture, Gravewalker. Despite a championship on the line, the fighting in Solaris City's Montenegro sector was far more controlled than the brutal slugfests and no-holds-barred grudge fights both MechWarriors faced in their climb to the top. Despite giving up twenty tons to Kirkpatrick's black and gold assault 'Mech, Durand's purple and gold heavyweight made up the difference with its maneuverability and its sophisticated array of Clan weapons that gave Kirkpatrick plenty to worry about. Shockwave was often forced to pull back as Durand raced across the open fields of the arena, and fought a largely cautious battle, working to pick off Omar's weapon-laden arms first. Though only partially successful—Kirkpatrick sheared off one arm after a full minute of combat—this tactic succeeded in putting Durand on the defensive. The winning move came, however, when Durand charged across the bridge connecting The Factory's two structures. Kirkpatrick, having stayed out of the time-ravaged buildings throughout the fight, suffered under several strikes launched from Durand's 'Mech as he raced back and forth along the platform, his 'Mech and movements vaguely reminding spectators of an old-style carnival shooting game. With each exchange, the two combatants further ravaged one another, until Durand's fifth pass, when Kirkpatrick unleashed a full alpha strike against his machine. Knocked off balance, the Vulture crashed off the bridge, its gyros destroyed between Shockwave's weapons fire and the fall.

Like an old-time gentleman, he accepted defeat and recognized Shayne's merit.

BattleMechs

Omar Durand piloted a Vulture named Gravewalker, though to make fights fair he sometimes used other 'Mechs during the 3132 Grand Tournament.

Bibliography

• Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN