Due to a recent clamour from mercenaries in need of new light mechs with advanced technology, Blackwell Industries on Outreach designed the Bee to boost profits.
The cheap Bee was designed as a harasser and an 'expendable' mech to draw out ambushing forces. Needless to say, merc pilots assigned such mechs are often less than happy at their assignments, but the capabilities of the mech actually tried to give such pilots the best possible chance of extracting themselves and the Bee from such circumstances.

The Bee can move at 140 kph without using an extralight engine, or the risky MASC system, speed a neccessity for light mechs in the present age of ever more deadly weapons capable of destroying light mechs with a single hit.
With 3 tons of Valiant Lamellor Advanced ferro-fibrous armour, the Bee is well protected for its size. Able to take a medium laser shot anywhere except for its rear, the armor coverage has been adjusted to reflect the fact that ambushing forces often deploy short to medium range weapons. Of course, no 20 ton mech has been designed that could withstand a hit from an AC/20. The rear armour is thick enough to absorb some SRM fire, obviously with infantry in mind.
The standard weapons loadout is a Holly LRM-5 rack backed up by a Diverse Optics ER medium laser. Engagement tactics are for the Bee to fight at medium to long range, taking advantage of its speed and weapons range to 'buzz' around the enemy.
Blackwell Industries, recognizing the propensity for mercs to customize their machines, has used a semi modular weapons system for the Bee, similar to the Mercury. While not as flexible as a true Omni, the Bee has gone down well with mercs due to its easily adaptable loadout.

Recently, Mechwarrior Decks of the merc outfit Ballack's Bashers on Liao employ was on a combat patrol deep into enemy territory on Caph when he was ambushed by two Wasps. His armor barely holding under the first savage assault, he managed to tear away from the enemy mechs, using the Bee's ER medium laser to snipe at his opponents, and constantly hitting the ground with his LRMs. This led the Wasps into thinking that his LRM system was spoilt, and they went in hot pursuit of his mech into a dense forest, confident that their jumpjets and the trees would give them an edge, only to have their legs cut out by Thunder munitions laid down earlier.

Numerous variants have been seen, ranging from models with a full laser loadout to ones equipped with a TAG and active probe in place of the normal weaponry.

Mechwarrior Decker 'Decks' Henderson
Initially opposed to the Bee assigned to him after his Mongoose was destroyed, Decks has since grown fond of his quick and versatile Bee, which he has named 'Buzz'. He has even painted it yellow and black, which puts off many opponents.

Bees have been spotted throughout the Chaos March, leading fast recon missions into suspected ambush areas. Recently, equipped with Thunder LRM munitions developed by House Liao, the Bee has also begun to earn a reputation as a excellent mech for counter ambushes.