[MechWarrior 5]: After the Republic

[Luke Lavin]

With the Clans rapmpaging across a relatively defenseless Inner Sphere several planets fell quickly while more important systems put up half hearted defenses.  Only the ComGuard camp in the Rasalhagu Republic and the Combine were able to repel serious intrusion, but still took losses.

West Port Coventry,
Lyran Commonwealth,
January 13th, 3116
Lasers strobed, burnning sheets of armor that melted off in goubles of molten metal.  Kran Bell wrestled the controls of the his 95 ton MadCat Mk II, struggling to keep balance as a half ton of armor streamed to the ground in rivers.  The Jade Falcon Supernova that hounded him was his equal, it weigh a good ninety tons surrending five tons to him, but it mounted a trio of extended range large lasers in each massisve arm pod.  It had harried him back into the industrial sector.

Kran's comapny was acting rear-guard as the Seventh Lyran Rangers withdrew from Conventry. Two other comapnies stretched to the left and right flanks. Colonel Benjamin had developed an okay stratagey to defend the rear-guard action. But okay didn't work against Clans, especially the Jade Falcons.  Kran donated both his guarss rifles to the Supernova, one silvery ball dented more armor on it's left leg, the other sailed high and skipped off a building.  

"Hold steady Comapny B." Kran ordered, his people ceased their rear motion and poured fire into the Clan machines. A Gyrfalcon went donw riddled with holes, but the stop came at a price an older Masakari but no less deadly drove four ERPPCs into a Jupiter, the argent blasts cored through the armor and scathed the reactor.  Golden fire bloomed out of rents in the armor, it exploded with shocking force before the pilot could eject.

"By the Archon! The Colonel is down." A voice escaped.

Then it happened first one then two, then an entire lance turned and ran. The Falcons poured in through the ranks, Kran's people now were the only ones holding the center. "The Falcons have turned the flanks!"  Kran gritted his teeth and pulled down on all his triggers, releasing his full arnsenal.  The gauss slugs hammered the chest of the Supernova pulverising armor, shards of armor rained onto the streets.  His score of LRMs peppered the shoulder arms but found not wounds.  His array of four extended range medium lasers cored the gaping rents in the center torse caused by the duet of gauss rifles.  A scream of shreiking metal filled Kran's ears a telling sign of gyro failure.  Splinters of metal spewed from the holes, and the Supernova slewwed drunkinly before falling down into the building on the left.  

The minor victory though wasn't even close to enough, a full Trinary of clanners was in among his company.  Clare, Tae, Sam, and Duncan were all down, Anthony was down with a crippled leg actuator.  That left Kran with an ad-hoc lance, there would be no making it to the Dropships.  

"Any Rangers switch to battallion frequency," there was a quick scratch as Kran switched channels.  "Alright there's no way we can hold West Port, but theres an under ground land car high way, on 12th South and Arcner Way.  It has a 15 meter clearance for freight.  Anyone who can home in on my IFF and head for the tunnel."  Kran launched another flight of LRMs at a Couger then lit off on his jump jets crossing two blocks onto the main threw-a-fair.  It was a mess of armor where the company's Armor had entrenched against the Falcons, burnt out husks of tanks laid every where. Only three mech skeletons laid on the street.  

Kran pumped his four lasers into an Uller that scouted ahead.  The knives of energy cut into the thin rear armor and softened up the rear armor for the gauss slug Kran donated to it as well.  The slug punched through the molten armor and burst out the cockpit in the front.  Kran the cut down the entrance ramp and stopped twenty feet into the tunnel waiting for the others.

[Luke Lavin]

Kran waited the better part of twenty minutes, a long time during a fire fight, but he could still hear the roar of weapons fire, the battle still raged somewhere.  Kran turned the MadCat Mk II down the tunnel moving at thirty kilometers an hour, he flipped on a set of flood lights mounted around the cockpit.  He moved down the tunnel and decided to risk following a branch that lead to underground extensions of the spaceport.

The tunnel proceeded into the dark for forty meters before curving left revealing the low but flat wide lower platform for smaller class dropships.  A Lepoard-class Dropship was being loaded right now.  But there was no room for his mech, Kran regreted becoming dispossed but the choice between becoming a Falcon bondsman or running the orbital gaunlet. He decided against it, without fighter cover Clan Omnifighters would shoot the ship down as soon as it lit off.  Kran left the spaceport and returned to the main tunnel.  His thermal readings were picking up a mech.  A Falcon green mech turned the corner into the tunnel from the road above.  A Shrike
a Falcon assault mech that had powerful weapon layout and good manuverablility.  Manuvering was impossible down here, they were fairly matched.  

The Shrike was bringing it's weapons to bear as Kran fired, emerald screwers tagged the Falcon mech all over, one slashed a cut across it's shoulder, two laser into the claw turning one talon into a pooling glob of molten metal.  The last emerald knife lasered into the Shrike's lower lag just below the knee actuator.  

The Shrike responded with a dozen SRM's the high power warheads peppered Kran all over chipping away armor on his arms and left torso but not exploiting any of the rents in his right side.  Kran responded with both gauss rifles, the was a blue discharge of the energy release from the capacitors filling the coils with power, and two silvery streaks hit the Shrike one dug a furrow along the left shoulder while the other shattered armor off the already damaged lower leg.  The Falcon pilot almost fell but stepped back with his other leg and kept balance he responded with both UAC-10s that dug a double furrow of havok from his right hip over the right arm savaging the armor. The completeing blowing away the missle rack on his right shoulder.  Amas fired his right gauss rifle and knifed back with two lasers, that played across the Shrike's chest the gauss rifle flashed past it's cockpit but didn't do anything more than make the pilot flinch.  

The ERPPC shots that would have savaged his Madcat II's centerline plowed a molten furrow in the ferrocrete floor sheered away the right arm.  Kran wrestled the machine at the massive unbalance of losing his right arm.  More than twenty tons of equipement including his right gauss rifle.  

He replied in kind with an alpha strike, the LRM's didn't have enough range between the two to arm and did little more than throw off the Jade Falcon mechwarrior's aim.  His left gauss slug pulverized armor along the Shrike's centerline, and his four lasers melted more armor on the damaged leg.  

Heat soured in Kran's cockpit, the Mk II model of the Madcat was very heat effective but repeated use of ER lasers and the LRM's to boot through the temperature dangerously into the yellow zone.  Kran struggled against the stilifing heat until his cooling vest recieved a fresh burst of coolant that regained control of his core temperature.  Breathing returned and Kran braced himself against the counter attack.  The Shrike, not to be out done let loose with an all out attack also.  The double stream of depleted uranium tiped eight milimeter slugs puned into his right leg, one ERPPC slagged his other missle rack while the other one took off his right leg at the reversed knee cap.  The SRM's peppered the mech allover, three knocking against the head and bursting the ferroglass shield.  A stray piece of metal hit his neurohelmet and knocked his unconscious.

[Luke Lavin]

The Triad, Tharkad City
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
January 15th 3116

Deep in the the capital building, the Triad, Archon Frederick Steiner Davion, Hauptman of Armies Deardre Steiner and various officers of military intelligance stood around a vast holoprjected map of the Inner Sphere.  Realms Sphereward of Terra were blocked out in solid colors, Federated Sunds, Capellan Confederation, and the nation states of the former League.  While systems Coreward of Terra were each represented by points of light.  The Commonwealth worlds twinkled Lyran blue, Republic of the Sphere words glowed gold, Comguard words in the old Rasahuegal Republic were illuminated in gray, while COmbine worlds were represented in dark red.  Jade Falcon worlds cracked acid green, and Clan Wolf worlds flashed silver.  Fighting was indicated by red sparks for minor fighting, while worlds that flashed red indicated heeavy fighting and worlds with a green or silver mist around them represented worlds captured by the Falcons or the Wolves.

Federick face was grim in the light cast off by the map, a snake of green mist infected his realm from Coventry back to the Faclon Occupation Zone, while the Wolves already had a nice sized realmed carved out of what used to be ARc Royal and the Arc Royal Defense Cordon.  Their roots of invasion snaked along his and ComGaurd worlds.  The situation was bad, the Falcon zone of influence that controlled most of prefecture XI and the precture capital of Skye in the Republic of the Sphere(RS) reached out to connect with the spear of Falcon advancement, if they connected they would effectively carve out what little remained of the Isle of Skye sill under Lyran control and were dangerously close to the industry world of Hesphrus II.

"Gentlemen, and Ladies you see the problem that we face now I need suggestions.  The Republic of the Sphere is too disarmed to offer assistance and the snapping between the Falcon and the Wolves hasn't reached the point where we can contend to let them fight it out, this is their drive to Terra. We have limited resources.  Only seven regiments of mechs in our entire realm, godd**n Delvin Sointe and his disarmment.  We do have large infantry brigrades but they are raw green grass against thte Falcon onslaught, we have fifeteen regiments of armor.  More Mechs and weapons are being brough to us from trade partners in the Nation States (Old League Realm) but nothing will be here quick enough to stop the Falcons.  I need strategies yesterday."

[Luke Lavin]

Deardre Steiner listened quietly to the Archon's situation assement, she paused for a second but none of the more junior officers volunteered any information.  She burshed a lock of burnette hair out of her liquid choclate eyes.  Deardre rose out of her seat, only standing five feet, and four inches she surrenedered alot of height to her juniors but she had a compact frame.  She was the fencing Champion on Tharkad back in her academy days.  "This incursion is a drive to Terrra, unfortunately with the logistics we currently have there is simply no way to save the Isle of Skye, and then afterward repel Wolf incursion.  We have a counter strategy.  Archon with all do respect Terra is not our concern I can see how you would like to help save it but it is the Republic's problem, my plan is based on the oringinal plan that stopped the Falcon incursion sixty years ago during the FedCom Civil War.  Famous Major General Archer Christofi stopped the Jade Falcon with two operations, they were called Operation Bull Dog which buffered the Jade Falcon advance and Operation Audacity which went behind the lines and hit the Falcon Gaurds on Twycross.  Now Operation Bulldog might've worked for us if we did not have the Falcon desant attacking from the Republic also.  They've been tired down by Jasek Kelswa and his Stormhammers with Tara Campbell and her Northwind Highlanders.  Now the counter thrust comes here at Coventry.  The Jade Falcons cannot have Coventry, we are going to drop the Fourth Tharkad Guards, the Eight Melissa Strikers, and Snord's Irregualers onto Covnetry.  From there they will strike a path across the Falcon drive and break the point of the Falcon spear.  The Third, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, and Tenth Lyran Guards will hit the Falcon front.  The Hespherus Legions will blunt the Jade Falcon Desant.  We have three new Avalon-class heavy cruisers rolled out for counter attack.  The force that hits Coventry will be lead by Marshal Christofer Burnt, you will have the Driscol, and the Adam Steiner.  Marshal Sharron Veeve will have the Morning Star." She nodded to both the commanders, and the Archon."

"Very well you heard the Hauptman General get moving."  Frederick dismissed them with a wave.

[Scrasamax]

A salvo of Arrow IV artillery rockets screamed past, detonating nearly 100 meters behind Hauptman Langustine's command mech. The concussion from the blast rocked his mech, despite its impressive 90 ton mass. The rest of the command lance scattered to avoid the incoming artillery, but a quartet of assault mechs move slowly even under the best circumstances. In an erie repeat of the Clan Invasion so many years ago, Lyrans and the Falcons were clashing again along the old border.

Who knew, he might end up fighting the clanners on Twycross just like his grandfather had done back in those violent days. Another heavy whump of artillery pressed him into his command chair, the pressure mounted against his ear drums, and his eyes, but it didnt last long. The Cyclops, a venerable machine compared to the new toys the clanners were tossing out, rode the shock wave like an old pro. One of the techs had joked that this iron bucket had actually fought back in the third Succession war, long before even his grandfather had been born. He had laughed back, two succession wars, the Clan invasion, and the FedCom civil war hadnt put her out of commision yet, so he had nothing to worry about.

**We must be getting close** his radio hissed, his second in command said. His machine, a massively built Battlemaster lumbered ahead of his own machine. **Their fire is getting erratic, these second line clanners dont see much action**

As if answering their speculation, a blast from a laser left an actinic afterimage in his eyes as it flashed across his mech, scarring through the densest armor. The beam subsided, but his readouts registered the hit as marginal at best. He toggled up the targeting computer, and within a second, the reticle for the gauss rifle illuminated on the HUD. The Cyclops jolted as the massive weapon discharged, an flare of incandescent plasma looping from the end of the barrel as the accelerator magnets bled off excess charge.

Cracks of thunder were muffled by the insulation of the cockpit, but the brilliant flashed of plasma discharge from particle cannons was unmistakable. Both of the fire support mechs, the Battlemaster and the refit antique Zeus were laying down withering barrages of fire. Return fire was light, and a distant whomp betrayed the sudden end of one of the clanner mechs. His system rotated to the next closest target, a Vulture omnimech, one of the monsters that had so terrified the Lyrans when it had first appeared, and seemed unstoppable

The gauss round caught it in the rotator ring, blasting the relatively thin armor plating, and severely damaging the assembly. In all likelyhood his upper torso would be locked in its current facing. The last mech in his lance, a sweet Marauder II advanced at a near run, laying down cowboy gunfire with its twin particle cannons. The Vulture collapsed under the barrage, its entire left side self destructing as the Marauders cannons ripped into an ammunition bin.

Within a few moments, the paltry defending star of second line clan mechs was out of commision, and the artillery batteries were permanently silenced.

**Bravo Command to HQ, enemy fire base Zulu One has been eliminated,** Peter punched in the direct link back to the Planetary Offensive Command

**Scratch five clanner mechs, zero losses...Hold or advance HQ, please advise**

[Luke Lavin]

Cristofer Burnt tracked  Hauptman Langustine's command lance across the portabel holograph emitter.  The Jade Falcon possisions were marked by red triangles while friendlies showed in clam blue traingles.  Armor represented by solid squares, and infantry platoons by hollow circles, solid circles intidcated armored infantry. "...Hold or advance, HQ?"

"Moma bear 2-1-1-1, this is the Den (MomaBear2111 Hauptman Langustine, Den HQ) I got satcom telling me there is a Clanner Binary of three M1 Marksman Tanks, two points of Elementals, and a star of Mechs making a flanking run wide to the west.  I', sending you an ad-hoc lance from the reserves of three Joust Tanks, a WarDog, an Awesome, an Atlas backed up by some Cavalier armored infantry I want you to take them and kill that Binary if they get arrounf they could fold the line.  I'm uploading your reinforcements as Nav point Beta, the Clanners will be a Nav Point Gamma in ten minutes.  Their mech star is a mix of medium and heavys; two Gyrfalcons, two Blackhawkd, lead by a Loki. Den out."

[Scrasamax]

"Just call me the Falcon Hunter, Den." Langustine said. He relayed the information to the rest of his lance, including the reinforcements.

"Well, Haupt, sounds like we've got the weight, but they have the speed." The Battlemaster pilot spoke.

"Agreed," Langustine said, pushing his Cyclps up to a good speed, heading towards the next nav point where the seven mechs would meet up into a super lance. There were alot of PPCs in the lance, but those weapons were only of moderate use against the small and agile clan battlesuits. He grandfather had called 'em toads, and spit after he said it, called them the worst thing on a battlefield.

"Alright, when we see those little hopping bastards, we'll light em up at long range with the heavies, that way the Cavaliers will stand a better chance, plus we might keep that binary at arms length. Zeus, Battlemaster, Awesome, I want concentrated firepower on the two Novas, I want them dead two steps after we see them. Everyone else, maintain formation, and primary target is the Loki for all non-Nova killers.

Langustine had a grudging respect for the Nova, he had already seen a Zues all but disemboweled by a barrage from the stooped over Clan machine. He would not loose one of his like that.

[Luke Lavin]

* * *

Kran Bell awoke wearily in a hospital room somewhere, the walls were antispectic white that was harsh on the eyes.  He realised that his closes were gone except for the sheet that covered him on the hospital bed, and three cords wrapped around his right wrist.  Bondsman cords.

"Ah so the young barbarian is awake," a Clan medic said as he walked in she checked his pupils and felt the bruise on the side of his head.  "His concussion is almost healed, I can release your bondsman to you Star Colonel."  

"Good, leave then."  A tall exocticly beautiful woman walked in from outside the room, even in the drab Jade Falcon field uniform that didn't have any ranks on it even in case of snipers.  She had shoulder length raven hair that had lusty highlights of red, a vain rareity among clanners, shocking violet eyes that could melt ferro fiber armor.  The medic retreated back out the door and closed it as he left.

Kran sat up slowly when the Star Colonel had entered the room, he was unsure what to do, the Clanners hardly ever took bondsmen now a days, Kran was shocked that he was alive.

The Star Colonel traced a gloved hand along his chin as if inspecting merchandise, "Do you understand your position hear."

"No not really." Kran answered.

"As a bondsman you are isorla of clan Jade Falcon, our booty. Display bravery, loyalty, or perform a task for me one of the cords could be cut.  Once all are cut you are effectively a member of the clan. Till then hears a jumpsuit now let's get going you need to scrub my Shrike after the knocking around you gave it."

[Luke Lavin]

* * *

The Binary of Falcon forces recongnized the formation of the Hauptman's forces, the spread out into a firing line and advanced taking long range shots with their enhanced weaponry.  Missle fire rained down, autocannons chipped at armor, and lasers strobed searching for weaknesses in the armor.  Gauss slugs discharged at a furious rate.  One Nova was an Alternate form of the primary configuration and unleashed a helish stream from a large pulse laser and ultra autocannon.  Emerald darts and sixt milimeter shells pounded the Lyran Wardog which responded with a burst of PPC.

[Luke Lavin]

Reiling Ranch, Furlow County, Late Local Fall
Eaton, Contested Lyran and Republic of the Sphere World


Allan Reiling finished putting away the farm equipement for the winter this mornning when his granddad's package arrived.  It came in a large Dropship Crate loaded on an old JS-22 Heavy Transport, he signed for his granddad, Gregoery, and used the families LoaderMech to move the tonnage of cargo into the old family garage which was the rements of a mechbay from the old Succession Wars.  As Allan finished stowing the crate of LoaderMech he took a moment to appreciate his family project.  Some fathers and sons, went fishing, some hunting, some dirt biking.  But Allan and his granddad, they refurbished mechs.  When the first inherited this base by buying it from a government auction they found a surprise.  An old T-IT-N10M Grand Titan in it's cradle left their from days gone past. His grand father had named him Magus, following an old knight tradition of naming your sword.  

Instead of turning it in Allan and his granddad decided to refurbish as an honor of sorts to Allan's father who died fighting in the Word of Blake Jihad, Allan's father had been part of the Knights of the Inner Sphere, and helped to protect the weak from the Blakist Jihad.  He died when the Jihadist orbitaly bombed Kalidasa.  Gregoery had brought his family to eaton shortly before the unrest in the Free Worlds League came to head.  

"Grandpa, that package you ordered from the Baritona Republic last year arrived today."  Allan said with mock boredom, he really wanted to know what was inside maybe new actuators, or a new Volxar engine.  

His grandpa gave him a smile, "Come on you old reprobate, I'll need your help unloading everything.  Gregoery stood his full one hundred and eighty centimeters, salty grey hair that used to be a raven black, and blue eyes that were full of fatherly warmth were Gregoery's features that drew Allan's  grandmother to him he also had white skin that was leathered from ages of combat and work, features he shared with his grandson.  Gregoery Reiling was a vetran of the Clan war and had even been with the Knights of the Inner Sphere when the 2nd Star League forces attacked the Smoke Jaguar homeworld of huntress he had been there to help bring the beast down.

Allan walked into the mechbay and felt miniscule next to Magus, he watched as his grandfather punched in the access code that opened the large cargo crate, the paneled side rolled up into the top of the crate.  Allan's jaw dropped, inside there were not any engines or actuators, but weapons.  He staired, two ERPPCs laid side by side on the bottom, two ER medium pulse lasers mounted on racks, an LRM 15 launchers, and two SRM-6 pack launchers.  The othet panel heald enough reloads of missles for the mech while the third panel hid various new age double heat sinks.  

"My god grandpa where did you get these? This must of cost a fortune, ERPPCs run 700,000 C-Bills where did you get the money." Allan just stood there dumbfounded almost.  

"My grandson, when the first few worlds began renouncing allegance to the republic I knew trouble was brewing so I changed the order nin months ago and had these sent instead.  I sold away our holdings in the remants of the Free Worlds League," Grandfather had a penchant for calling the seperate nation states nothing but the remants of the Free Worlds League he refused believe the glorious realm had split forever. "And don't tell me I was wrong I was right, the Jade Falcons are on our doormat and unless you don't knock off our porch their gonna bust right in the front door.  It's about time you took up your father's torch and followed in our footsteps. I will train to be a MechWarrior then you'll be off to the garrrison here to enlist your help.  I've seen the way you use that LoaderMech it's like watching your father when he was my Squire.  Come let's get Magus upgraded, I removed all the old equipement now you can install the new."


Allan spent the next two days, using the LoaderMech to lift and equip the new weapons to Magus, working tediously to install the new heatsinks and reinstall the targeting computer.  It was painful slow and tiring work but at the end of the third day Allan and Gregoery could hardly recognize Magus, it went from this life project to a work of art.  Gregoery added the finaly toush by adding Ops Blue Camo Scheme.  

The next several days Allanw's mother saw little of either two except in the waking hours of the morning and the weening hours of the night.  Gregoery spent all his waking hours showing Allan how to dodge, run, prance, and counters to all the moves he knew you could do in beastly 100 ton behemoth that Magus was.


****


Kran had spent the last days to learning his place as a bondsman, he performed menial chores on whim to the viper like Star Colonel, she was enthralling to look at but one bite would be lethal.  Physical violence it appeared seemed to be favored punishment to anyone of lesser station.  Meaning that Kran went to sleep often with several nasty bruises.  If anything was worse than that his keeper Star Colonel Roanna Helmer who hardly spoke, expect to rebuke or order,  to him she was like a shadow constantly following his every step making constant notes of his habits and tendancies.   Kran almost wanted to sream, what happened to the blood thirsty honor bound, proud Clanners that he'd seen in every movie, and read in every book.  The spartan styles of life started to drive Kran up the wall, what he was supposed to do.

****


The WarDog  disgorged a guass slug at the Loki it shatted armor along it's left shoulder leave a large chip out of the protection that was exploited by it's large pulse lasers that left steaming maws of molten metal.  The Loki fired back with both it's LBX-10 autocannons that blasts at short range inflicted telling damage superior clan targetig computers allowed both cannons to compound each other's damadge by blasting into the Wardog's left knee the joint was so full of shranel it could barely move and remained open to flanking attacks.

[Scrasamax]

The air was filled with the heavy roar of autocannon fire, and the thundercracks of PPCs. Langustine growled as the clanners drew out into a line. The wardog was taking a pounding, the clanners seemed to have abandoned zellbringen and resorted to odd tactics. The extended lance hadnt responded to his strategic commands, and were instead firing at will, some shots going wild, others hitting with only moderate success. At this rate, the clanners would pick them apart, he had to keep his unit cohesive, and functional, otherwise the Falcons might flank the main advance.

"McLaren, Voss, maximum firepower on the Loki, on my mark..." Langustine tapped the gunnery controls with his finger, the targeting reticule showed a lock on the Loki, but it wasnt good enough, he wanted a sweet shot, one that would hurt the thin-skinned machine. There. He felt the sweet spot.

"Fire!" he pulled the trigger, the gauss rifle flared, whorls of incandescent plasma boiled out of the barrel chasing after the nickle slug as it ripped through the air at twice the speed of sound. McLarens Zeus followed with a heavy volley of 50mm long range missles, an actinic laser blast, and the thundercrack of its Defiance Particle cannon. Voss shouted a cowboy yell as he gave the Loki both barrels of his Marauder II's PPCs.

The clan machine, several times more advanced in construction, more agile and better armed disintegrated under the hellstorm of firepower. There was a blast of steam that ripped the machine apart, core breach, followed by an ammunition explosion. Peter shouted in victory, but still had to face the rest of the clanner star.

"One more for Daddy." he said with a laugh, shifting his target system to the next closest target, one of the Marksman tanks. If the Loki was thinly armored, then the tank was beyond screwed. He pulled the trigger again.

(It is really embarrassing how little armor the Loki has, with only 8 tons, it is comparative to most Inner Sphere mechs in the 40-45 ton range, rather than the 65 tonner that it is. 17 points in the center torso is sad, a huge flaw in an otherwise good mech. I am curious about which variant has a pair of LB-10X autocannons.)

[Luke Lavin]

Half my tech I get from the internet, half from the games, the Loki variant that I pitted you against here, came from MechWarrior4: Vengance, Loki has pretty weak armor in all variants.)

The two Novas had moved to engange the Zeus, Battlemaster, and Awesome backed up by one Gyrfalcon and one M1 Marksman Tank.  ER Lasers, Missles, PPcs, and Guass slugs flew back forth like the wrath of an angry god.  Following orders the three Assaultmechs focused their fire power on the Primary configuration Nova.   At the moment it raised one fist and unleashed six emerald beams of hellfire all over the Awesome.  Two warmed armor on the left flank, while three drew line on molten metal across the center torso, and the last charred armor on the right arm actuator.  Light damage to the Awesome which responded with all three of it's PPCs.  The argent blast of man-made lightining destroyed armor all over. One sloughed armor to the Endosteel femur on the clan machine's left leg, while the other two destroyed over two tons of armor on the center and left torsos. Unstody the clan machine fell over, mud splashed eveywhere it was stuck in the mud, but the huge clawed feet slowly worked it up right.

The Battlemaster fired with both it's pistol like PPCs that carved into the open chest cavity in the mech's torso, a blinding light filled the area.  The mech went dark for a second then lit back up, "His dampening fields are down watch out!" A pilot called.  Then a tornado of fusion energy unleased as the miniture sun broke free of it's chains, a mushroom explosion blew twenty meters up into the sky.  All that remained was a few peices of the charred Endo steel skeleton.

[Scrasamax]

The battle was as short as it was intense. The assualt mechs, by virtue of sheer mass of firepower and design lef the clan binary in smoldering ruin. Peter looked across the battlefield, the earth had been rent by weapons fire, and the critical destruction of two mechs. He surveyed his own forces, which though victorious, were not unscathed. The Awesome and the Zeus had taken some heavy damage, and all of the machines needed some RnR, repair and reload.

"Den, this is Momabear2111, scrap five clan mechs, the clan tanks. I need some ammo, stat. I've got some walking wounded, but no casualties." he clicked the link, "Waiting for instructions."

[Luke Lavin]

"Wilco Momabear2111, we have a MFB deployed three klicks south of your position, Sunbear2135 is moving in to take your position.  Nice job, looks like the clanners are pulling back to their Dropships, there are scattered reports of Clan resistance all over so be careful but looks like most of the mechs and armor and pulling up shop. Patch up at MFB for eight hours then be ready to leave.  Word is were going to hit Alarion then Coventry next. Den out."

***

Kran laid on his small cot utterly exhausted he'd jsut worked twelve hours straight replacing damaged mymor fiber muscles in two mechs.  All his joints hurt and his muscles told him never get up again.  Is this how I'm going to die? Eventually burning out as some slave? The thought troubled Kran, it didn't seem he was a prisoner because he was accorded much access all over but his status did seem to substanderd even among the astechs.  

I've got to get out of here, I can't rot away here, I won't let that happen. I can be free I just have to try! A plan started to form in his mind as drifted off to sleep.  

***

Allan sat in the commander's office of the local garrison, Eaton being a Republic world only had a lance of Battlemechs for a garrion plus Allan's Grand Titan, a few refiments of infantry and a battalion of armor.  On the farside of the planet there was an aerofighter academy, but they opperated seperately from the garrrison.   Allan was glady welcomed to the militia.  Commander Czech, the aide de campe Lt. Voller, and two sergents, Paten and Fareed.  All were rather friendly except for Lt. Voller who was a career officer and hated being stuck on a small garrrison like Eaton even if it was close to the action.  

Allan had just finished signing an enlistment when a ragged looking officer burst into Commander Czech's office, "Sir! Jade Falcons!  There's a single Union-C class Falcon drop ship a few hours from landing, they jumped in from a pirate jumppoint detached the ship then jumped out on lithium batteries.  The Falcon Commander is on the line for you!"  

"Well hurry up man patch to me on my desk top," A minute later a severe looking Falcon Commander appeared on the screen.

"I am Star Colonel Joel Pryde of the Jade Falcons with what forces will defend this planet with?" The fearsome Falcon warrrior had green eyes and red hair.  His skin was of a darker hue though.  

"I'm Commander Jonathan Czech of the Eaton Grenadier Garrison I will defend the planet will all I have. Meet us in Eaton Canyon here is the map."

"Well bargoned and done, I will relish the sent of your blood on the battlefield." Then he cut the line.

Czech slouched into his chair, his face looked pale, "Get the troops ready call in all the resevist and guards," He stood up noticing everyone in the room, "Prepare for battle, now move!"

[Scrasamax]

The spent casing, a 50mm brass shell, minus the armor defeating point, and primer spun through the air like a ballerina. The side blew apart with a satisfying TING! Captain Peter Langustine sighted his pistol, an old slug thrower on the next autocannon casing, pausing only a second before pulling the trigger. The second shell casing did a backflip as it was hit high, but dead on center.

"Head shot." He said. Behind him the MFB was hard at work getting the mechs back into working order. Most of the lighlty damaged machines were already in and out. His Cyclops was already done, just waiting to be loaded onto the dropship. He pulled out a PDA that had a direct link to the battle computer on the 90 ton monster. Even though the machine simple stood, its cockpit open to let the smell of sweat and cigarette smoke vent, it was running. The sensors were on in case some fast clanners got any funny ideas about hitting a mobile field base. The screen was clear.

David Hanlon sat on the hood of the Jeep, watching. His Battlemaster was currently up in the jakes getting checked over. Several techs were already replacing the armor plating on the torso, and checking the capacitor coils on the heavy particle cannons. "Nice shot, cap'n." he said.

"Apparently we are going to Alarion next." Langustine said.

"Never been there." Hanlon said, pinging the next shell with his own pistol. It passed the time well enough, besides, he already owed the captain 50 c-bills for calling shots. "I dont like it, though."

"I know." Peter said, reloading his pistol, a replica of the classic M-1911. The things were as common as ants at a picnic, and just as cheap in most places.

"It's bad luck sir, we went toe to toe with the clanners and didnt have one mech go down, not one." David said. "Dont get me wrong, we've got a good bunch now, and I dont wish ill on any of them..."

"But you can feel it building. Maybe its all of the stories about units barely survivng the last clan war, my grandfather told me about units taking 70 and 80 percent losses, and those were the ones that werent wiped out completely." His grandfather had talked about the death of pride, and morale as the clanners had destroyed the Green Mountain boys, one of the best Lyran heavy regiments. He had also talked about the number of friends, fellow mechwarriors, and armor crews who died fighting them.

"Maybe we are just on more even footing now." Peter said. "Sixty years ago we didnt have functional double heatsinks, or gauss rifles. We have them now, plus some stuff that no one had even though of back then."

"Maybe." David said. "Looks like the techs are about done. Are those other three mechs coming with us, or are they locals?"

"I dont know, I guess we will find out when we hit the spaceport." Peter said.

[Luke Lavin]

A rather unreamarkable brown hair woman came over, she wore grey shorts and a cooling vest under a large over coat that had Kommadant tabs on it, "Your command lance handled itself admirably, Captain, your man was half right, we were handling a unit on rotation that had already seen action when we attacked most of their heavy stuff was still half dissembled. Actaully Operation Audacity has met much of that success hear, so much so that the Hauptman of Armies is sending your regiment, and you to help out at Eaton, things have turned into a real meat grinder.  Falcon's dropped a full Cluster of mechs there with about a regiment of supporting infantry, armor, and aerofighters.  The 21st Battalion of the 3rd Lyran Guards dropped on them but things have bogged down, with a heavy mech force and strong back up the Falcons aren't budging so were dropping the whole regiment on them to relieve the Guards and local forces.  Thanks for the help back there too, I'm Kommandant Grey the WarDog pilot."

[Luke Lavin]

Eaton

The militia met the Clan attackers alone on the field of combat, five mechs ten tanks, a battalion of entrenched infantry in dug in holes and makeshift bunkers.  An artillery battery was protected by a Firestarter piloted by one of the sergents.  The four other mechs and militia were spread out along a staggered line in the middle of a spread of small knolls.  Czech had agreed to meet the Falcon commander on the plains to avoid civilian casueltys in the cities or suburban areas.

Commander Czech stationed the line with the mechs and armor with nests of troops spreading out on the flanks.  VTOL and Aerospace fighters flew cover, the commander had offered Safecon the clan ritual of allowing an attacking force to land in the hopes that the oppesers might offer Heigra in the chance that the defenders loose. Czech's mech stood tall and proud painted savana camoflage the Black Knight was a fearsome sight even if ages old.  The seventy five ton heavy mech balanced speed armor and a duet of PPCs and Large Lasers augmented my a head mounted small laser and ECM.  It looked very much like an armored Knight of old.

The aide de camp, Lt. Voller, stood off to Czech's right in his Blackjack-E which sported a Light Gauss Rifle, LRM-10 tube, ER Large and Small lasers, also four jump jets that allowed for more surprises during combat. Sergent Paten stood evenly with Lt. Voller but off to Czech's left she piloted a Falconer.  It was an gainly mech that looked oddly like a malformed aerofight fusilage mated to large legs with diamond tread feet.  But it carried a potent arsenal an ERPPC and a Guass rifle backed up by a bank of four medium lasers all on a seventy ton mech that could move like a medium mech and had jump jets.

Allen's own Grand Titan, Magus, backed up the rear the techs had been so confused with the different weapons and armor it was patched with they just painted it matte black to save time figuring things out.  The 100 ton war machine loomed over the entire line ready to back up anyone with two ERPPCs, 2 ER Medium Pulse lasers, 2 Streak SRM6 and Streak SRM2 packs, the old LRM 15 had been switched out with a not so old Clan tech LRM 20 that none of the other mechs could mount, leaving enough room for two more ER Medium Lasers.  Giving the Grand Titan a little extra bite with it's eightteen tons of Durallex armor and LTV 400 XL engine that gave the assault mech speeds of 70 klicks per hour.

The Jade Falcon forces for the challenge consisted of a Star of mechs backed up by a Star of hovercraft and a Star of Elementals. All painted the disturbing forest green entered battle with savage quickness, attacking with long range weapons.  The star of mechs closed and Allen's targeting computer identified them as a Cauldron-Born, Loki, Mad Cat, Vulture, and Gladiator.  Allen had a hard time controlling his breatthing, the Clanners had a 75 ton weight advantage, the main tactic to defeat the Clanners was to ahve a 3-1 advantage his Grandfather had taught him, this wasn't going to be good.  

The Gladiator opened up with it's ER Large Laser and ERPPC, that bruned a furrow in Czech Black Knight's then the particle projection cannon blew the turrent off a Bulldog.  Allen gritted his teeth and cut loose with both his ERPPCs and the Clan LRM 20.  The two azure beams exploded armor of the gladiators center torso but not breaching, the LRMs peppered the damaged area but still not finding any advantages.  Allen cursed clan armor.  

Paten delivered a guass slug to the Gladiator too. There goes the Clanner's TO&E, Allen thought, as Elementals started bounding across the wide plain.  Czech sent two PPC balsts into the Loki stumbling the under armored clan brawler, following up with two ruby lances of energy that burned much of the Loki's left arm away.

Lt. Voller opened up shop with his Blackjack on the nearest Elementals his light gauss slug decapitated one while LRMs scattered the toads all over, his ER large laser melted armor on another but most of the monsters got back up.


The Cauldron Born, which must of been a bondsman from the ex-Smoke Jaguars possibly, was deployed with it's primary configuration which was ammunition heavy but deadly effective.  A guass rifle and LB-X autocannon, with a SRM6 pack and LRM15 rack with a pair of ER medium pulse lasers.  It closed fast and ripped into Commander Czech a guass rifle slug pulverized armor on Czechs left torso and exploded one PPC barrel, it's LB-X eighty milimeter cannon blaseted submunitions all over scattering light damage.  The Cauldron-Born's SRMs and lasers carved into the Black Knight's gaping chest wound from the destroyed PPC exploding heat sinks in green bursts and causing black smoke to pour out indicating engine damage.  

The Gladiator put on the finisher though, it's monster of Ultra Auto Cannon 20 class eightteen centimeter shells ripped into Czech, Paten screamed for him to punch out but it was too late.  Allen's Grand Titan actually took damage from shells that burst through the rittled Black Knight, the huge explosive shells ripped free the Black Knight's reactor core which went off in golden fire killing the commander.

Red mist clouded Allen's eyes at the sight of such savagery when so much privlage had been granted to the Clanners, they mock us.  "Phoenix Wings, go for interdiction." Lt. Voller ordered.  A wing of Corsairs and Lucifers cut out form the dance in the heavens and cut a burning swath across the clan posistion.  The Clanners force withered but Allen noticed that now his hud was showing almsot all red, he cursed the Clanners again, they had moved their whole Cluster of forces up, then Lt. Voller gave the order, "All units this is Vole fall back to Gamma the d**n clanners pulled one over on us, Phoenix Wing try to hold the at bay with liberal straffing, Hammers I need smoke and scatter rounds at One-Nine-Two by Oh-Three-Oh, azumith forty five. Fire... Your on raget fire for effect."

[Luke Lavin]

Allen noticed the slow movement of infantry and planted his Grand Titan's huge feet in a wide stance.  The Gladiator loomed forward, once renowned as the best one on one batttlemech chasis in history, Allen hardly even realized what he was doing much less to be phased by meanial facts.  The behemoth Clan Assaultmech loomed close it's only weakness was it was relatively slow compated to his Grand Titan which peaked seventy klicks per hour while the Gladiator barely hit sixty.  

Allen dodged his body low and left, his neurohelmet transmitted the motion to the mech's gyroscope which ducked the Grand Titan away from the stream of eightteen centimeter shells. Allen toggled off the ERPPCs and LRM-20 from his main tirgger and unleashed his total torso salvo.  Medium pulse lasers and medium lasers carved little knive wounds into the Gladiator's armor cutting melting furrows into the mech's left arm, right arm, and center torso.  A flight of sixteen Streak SRMs followed in and blasted into the big mech's torso.  Opening breaches into the weakened armor gouts of black smoke gushed from the open breaches in the centerline armor.

The Gladiator responded with it's entire energy compliment, two ER medium lasers dug comestic scars while the ERPPC blasted nearly a ton of armor off the left torso while the large torso carved an ugly streak across the Grand Titan's right leg.

Allen rode the damage and managed to balance himself arm by raising his left arm and discharging both of the ERPPCs.  Heat gushed through his mech as the double heat sinks pumped coolant to bring the tempture back down to bareable.  The cerulean blasts of man-made lightining incinerated the tattered armro left in the Gladiator's centerline.  The whole front superstructure collapsed in on itself as the Gladiators own weight compromised itself with out the support of the centerline metal bones and armor.  It performed a nearly 90 degree bow then smashed to the ground, the blistering assault ceased as the first smoke rounds hid the militia forces from the Clan assualt force, and Allen disappeared with the rest of the militia into the twisting knolls that adventually gave way to twisting canyons.

[Scrasamax]

The Assault lance loaded one by one into the holding cells of the Lyran Union class dropship, the Aubrey Hale. The four mechjocks, now naked of their 85 ton+ warmchines made their way to their barracks in the ship, likely to be shared with Kommandant Grey, and the rest of her abbreviated lance. Hopefully the trip to Eaton would be uneventful, most space trips were excercises in mental torture. A week or two outbond, the jump, and another week or two inbound, and that was assuming only a single jump to reach the target solar system.

Peter knew he would have to do something to keep his men, all three of them on their feet. It was rare for such a small unit to have semi-independant command, but as an assault/penetrator lance, they had to have that degree of autonomy to function. The three pilots had already washed out of larger units for various reasons, but had found a special place in his shock lance.

David was likely somewhere in the ship seducing one of the female crewmembers. He did a tri-d show a few years back where he was a good looking mech jock who saved the day in an hour long techno-drama. Most people were surprised to find out that he had actually been a mech pilot, and the Warhammer that he piloted through 108 episodes had actually belonged to him. The machine was still being used, a next generation thing for the Tri-d's. The only problem was that being a golden boy, David wasnt suited for the rank and file. He constantly engaged in 'hero' behavior, and even though he was an excellent pilot, and gunner, he was a poor lancemate in a heavy lance. Giving him the Battlemaster had the dual purpose of polishing his ego, and keeping his machine in the performance range of his lancemates.

Voss, on the other hand was likely either drinking, thinking about drinking, or thinking about the last thing he drank. Despite being an alcoholic, his ombat record of currently 16 kills was nothing to scoff at in a time of ultra-lean armies of conscripts and rookies.  His Marauder II was the anchor of the lance, being the heaviest machine, and packing pretty much the heaviest firepower.

McLaren, being a tech-head was probably sitting in his Zeus running diagnostics, and would be until ordered out. To his credit, he kept the lance in good running order. It might have been up to the lance commander to keep discipline and morale, but without McLaren, the time the machines would get maintainence would be when something was blown off.

Peter sighed, and headed to the lounge, he had agreed to meet with Kommandant Grey again, but on the lounge, after the ship launched.

[Luke Lavin]

After the Captain's material was finished Kommandant Grey had the her company board. Her second in command Hauptman Frederick Sterling the commander of her Cavalier troops stood a pace beside watching as the last mech, the Atlas piloted by Sergent Rolando Gameirez, eased into it's cradle.  The three Joust tanks followed and the score of Cavaliers followed them up, and started to go through the process of removing their armor with the help of many astechs.  

"Captain Langustine handled himself well against that Binary back there, you think?" Luarelle Grey asked her subordinate.  

Frederick grunted, high praise for a man that usually berated most mechjocks.  "His men are a little scruffy." Grey was a little surprised that was the most complimenty thing she had heard from him in a while.

"Getting a little soft Hauptman?"

"No Kommandant, but even a Cavalier has to respect an Assaultmech pilot, those behemoths don't go easily especially with pilots like those."  

"Better brush up on them then, the Jade Falcon Cluster that hit Eaton was the Golden Talon Cluster they use mostly heavy and assault class mechs in tandom with hovercraft and Elementals.  It's a potent mix that allows for quick pincer attacks that can distract an opponent while the havies and assaults get into posistion, and bigger Clan mechs move fast as our mediums most of the time, but were catching up.  See to the rest of the loading, I have to meet Mr. Langustine in the ship's lounge after take off.  I don't want to have to bounce around the ship too much on take off."

[Scrasamax]

Peter used his security clearance to gain as much information on Eaton as possible, including the identity of her attackers. He growled at the monitor, the Golden Talon Cluster. Gravy.

"News that good boss?" McLaren asked, knocking back a cold bottle of Timbiqui Dark.

"Only going up against a Falcon heavy cluster, one of their top ranked units." Peter said.

"That makes them cocky." Voss said. "Just like the last time they decided to rumble. They think they are so much better than us stupid inbred spheroids. They'll make mistakes, and just like last time, we'll exploit them and they'll loose."

"And will we loose 80% of our own people doing it?" Peter asked.

"Not this time Boss." McLaren said. "We wont have our pants down around our ankles, and they dont have such a tidy head start on us tech wise."

"But they didnt disarm, we did." Voss said with characteristic charm. "Fraggin Devlin Stone, three curses on his name, and blood."

"Nice touch." Peter said.

"So, the CO of our back-up is a woman?" Voss asked, opening another beer.

"She is, or she looked like one." Peter said. "At least you can tell men from women here in the sphere, not like the clanners. My grandfather said they all looked the same, shaved their heads, and had facial tattoos, and all looked like they came out of the same mold. Something abouth them all being frickin clones or something like that."

"Man, I would have cloned me some pretty women, instead." Voss said.

"Yeah, but those hard-asses cloned the best mechjocks they had. No mother, no father, just fifty-four siblings fighting over one mech. Disgusting." McLaren said.

"How do you know?" Voss asked pointedly.

"I dont like to talk about it but my grandmother was a technician caste Ghost Bear, defected with my grandfather. I guess that makes me about 1/8 clanner." McLaren said with a grin. "How else do you think I keep everything running?"

"Attention on deck." Peter said, as Kommandant Grey entered the lounge. While most troopers would have bolted ramrod straight and saluted, the three mechjocks stopped slouching, and would mind their typically foul language in the presence of a lady, and officer.

[Luke Lavin]

"Ahh belay that, it's going to be crazy enough on this ship without all the nuances of rank, it's Luarelle or just Kommandant if you want to be formal." She said smiling, Grey had heard most of the mechjockies conversation from outside the hall before coming in.  Grey sat down on couche across from Peter.  

"You've probaly heard it already but we're going against the Golden Talon Cluster on Eaton, their three Trinaries or a little more than a regiment in stength but only have fifeteen mechs.  But they have large amounts of hovercraft and lighter tanks, and roughly onehundred and fifty Elementals minus a point or two from the fighting. There was an update from HQ when we boarded the Dropship the Clanners apparently agreed to have a trial with the local militia with equal forces but double crossed them.  The militia got away with three mechs but lost most of their infantry, artillery, and tank support.  The Aeroacademy lost alot of fighters covering the militias retreat.  They have about an ad-hoc lance of reources left, including tanks, infantry, and aerofighters.  Word is some local boy in an old Grand Titan took out the Star Colonel's Gladiator in the iniatial skirmish sounded like the star colonel lived but had his machine shot out from underneath him.
 The Lyran Guard battalion, the 21st of the 3rd regiment is better off they landed undected but failed in a surprise attack they lost a company and are just under two companies strength hiding in the mountains."

[Scrasamax]

"The odds seem a little better now." Peter said, "A battalion, give or take a little against a mixed cluster*"

"Odd that the local garrison was double crossed after bidding forces. Do you think that the locals might be claiming double cross after being soundly defeated?" McLaren asked. "Kind of like claiming cheater."

"Well, the clanners lost their command mech in battle, they could claim to have lost their minds with battle rage, or whatever crap they call it." Voss said. "Still, if this Titan pilot could duke it out with a gladiator, we should see about checking him out, might do the lance good."

"Then, you would have a rival for the biggest mech, hoss." Peter said, still seeing the wisdom of the idea. Using the heavy Grand Titan and Marauder II as anchors could make the lance even more effective. He could hang back with his Cyclops and spend more time in information relay than in actual toe to toe combat.

"My MII is still way better than his Grand Titan, nothing against the titan, but when Blackwell started buildin' em back in the 3030's that was just the last word in assault mechs."  Voss said, tipping a beer to the kommandant. "So, what do we call you for short?" he asked. "Luarellem is a hell of a mouthful."


(OOC: The Cluster is closer to the battalion in size, with clan galaxies being analagous to heavy regiments. )

[Luke Lavin]

(OOC: Right, my bad.)

Grey blushed a little, "Yes my ole mother was a stickler for family tradition, Grey works though. I'm not so sure the Golden Talon got devastated during the Word of Blake Jihad and was rebuilt in the combined arms theme.  Alot of the newer breed Clanners don't hold to the traditions it seems.  Galaxy Commander Melvina Hazen use of nuclear bomb detonated in orbit over Skye to take out the defending forces to give herself and advantage is an example. There were no BattleRoms in the reports so no way to know for sure but we shouldn't plan for the Clanners to follow theirs usual TO&E."

[Scrasamax]

"Just like a bunch of party crashers, they never know when they arent wanted." David Hanlon said, walking up to the table and taking a seat next to the Kommandant. "Nice to meet you."

"Our resident movie star, but I am sure he will tell you all about it if you give him two seconds." Peter said in good humor. "but first things first, I think we will need to work on something for these clanners, give em something they wont expect."

"I would insult their honor, or at least remind them that at least their predecessors had it in spade." McLaren said. "If you beat them by their rules, well they would hold to the treaties and agreements, even if they still had enough hardware to kick our asses from here to Capella."

"Truce of Tukkayid comes to mind." Hanlon said.

"There was also Wolcott." Voss said. "And the aftermath of Serpent and Bulldog."

"I Would try a trial of greviance." McLaren said.

"Accuss them of having as much honor as Wolverines for breaking bidding. Draw them into perhaps a lance on star engagement." Peter said, "But we keep some aces up our sleeve."