-1Bloodstripe's First

A/N: This story was written with my knowledge of BattleTech canon, which is not complete. Inaccuracies or mistakes are normally made out of ignorance, which I have done all in my power to correct.

Crimson Falcons Base Camp

Tukayyid

14 March 3175

'We have Dropships incoming!'

That was the only warning the mercenaries had as four dropships streaked overhead approaching their own landing zone.

'Who do they belong to?' Richard Merrill asked the tech who had sounded the warning, still breathing heavily from the mad dash he had made to the command center.

'No idea sir,' was the reply, 'they're like nothing I've ever seen before, we didn't even detect them until they entered the atmosphere.'

'This doesn't look good.' the aging commander of the regiment said. 'Put the entire regiment on alert. Senior officers are to meet in the TOR in half an hour.'

Tactical Operations Room, Crimson Falcons Base Camp

Tukayyid

14 March 3175

Major John 'Bloodstripe' Merrill, son of Richard Merrill and commanding officer of Bloodstripe Company, of the third Battalion, sat in a seat in the regiments. Tactical Operations Room.

'Alright people,' his father said, 'there are four dropships that just landed approximately two hours at BattleMech speed away from here. We have no idea who they are, but I doubt they came all this way just to throw a tea party.'

There were some snickers around the room and he continued. 'Sword Lance is currently en route to the unknowns LZ, they will make contact as soon as they see the LZ, which should be in just a couple of minutes.'

The room was filled with chatter as the officers that commanded the regiment's battalions and companies speculated on the origin and intents of the unknown dropships. It was hushed however as the pilots of the pair of aerospace fighters that made up Sword Lance came on the commchannel. 'Sword One to Falcon One,' the first voice said, 'Sir we are coming up on the landing zone, we have four dropships, unloading 'Mechs, armour, and infantry, still unable to identify them, we are going to get closer and attempt a visual…' he was cut off by his wingman, 'Dammit that's a Masakari!' he shouted.

John felt a chill run down his spine. A Masakari meant the Clans, and the Clans meant that this would most likely erupt into another war, just like the one twenty years ago. He was pulled out of his reverie by his father shouting into the mike. 'Sword Lance get out of there! Now!' the room became deathly silent, as the people waited for the fighter's reply. 'Sword Lance, pulling out,' the pilot's voice came, 'Wait! They've opened fire!' his sentence was punctuated by a scream. 'Sword Lance! Come in Sword Lance! Answer me!' General Merrill shouted into the mike, for several minutes he stood there, demanding that the pilots answer him, but was met with nothing but static.

After several minutes, he finally accepted that the two pilots were either dead or captured. 'We need to prepare,' the aging General said, 'All armour is to be mobilized in the hills surrounding the camp, make the best use of them you can. Colonel Jason Black, the commander of the fourth battalion, and Colonel Jack Kraft, of the sixth battalion both nodded, their two battalions making up the entirety of the regiments armour. 'We also need more detailed intel on these Clan forces, I doubt it would be a very good idea to send in aerospace fighters again, so does anyone have any suggestions?'

John stood up as his father finished. 'Bloodstripe Company will go and collect as much intel as we can.' he said, giving his father a look that told the older man to let him do it. It was clearly visible on his father's face that he was struggling with himself to allow his son to put himself in such danger, but eventually he conceded. 'Alright.' he said simply. 'And Eagle Lance will be flying cover for you.' 'Yes sir,' John replied as he sat back down, his mind already in high gear, deciding on how his forces would be deployed, remembering lessons he had been taught on Clan tactics and 'Mechs.

'Mech Hangar, Crimson Falcons Base Camp

Tukayyid

14 March 3175

John Merrill turned as he heard footsteps behind him. 'Hi Mom,' he said as he saw who it was, 'I was just about to head out.'

'I know,' Sally Merrill replied, 'Your father told me about what you intended to do, and I wish you wouldn't.'

'Don't worry,' John replied, 'The entire company will be looking out for me, I'll be fine.'

'I'm not so sure,' she said, the fear evident in her voice, 'From what your father tells me, there is no doubt that those are Clanners. I don't want someone coming back and telling me that you were killed fighting them.'

'I'll be careful,' John said, knowing that he could do little to soothe her motherly fears, 'This is just a recon mission, if we run into trouble, we're going to move as fast as we can to get back here.'

'I know,' Sally said, 'But I'm your mother, and mother's worry.' she finished her statement by drawing him into a tight hug, which he returned stiffly. 'Oh you,' she said, giving him a light push towards his 'Mech, 'just like your father, not one to show too much affection unless it's in private.'

'Of course,' John replied, grinning as he pulled on his rubbery cooling vest, 'We're both MechWarriors, we have to be tough.' he next pulled on his neurohelmet and attached it to his vest. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the other BattleMechs of the company powering up. 'I've got to go, I'll be back in time for supper,' he said, half-joking. He could tell that Sally's laugh was forced, but it still made him feel better.

Near Clan Landing Zone

Tukayyid

14 March 3175

The company of BattleMech's surged through the forest on their approach to the landing zone, the MechWarriors were silent, each of them realizing how risky an assignment their commander had volunteered them for, adrenaline flooding their veins, not from fear, but from excitement at the prospect of fighting the Clans.

'Hey Jimmy,' Major Merrill said, addressing a young MechWarrior who had only recently been assigned to the company, 'Kick in that Guardian ECM your carrying, we're not far off now and will probably start running into their patrols any moment now.'

'Yessir,' the teenager replied, 'Are they really Clan?', the young man's, many would say boy's, statement was filled with apprehension. John remembered that he had never seen battle before, and realized that he had only fought in a few battles himself, his parents had left him to defend the command center, or similar missions for most of the past three years that he had been a true MechWarrior. It had only been a year ago, when the company had been formed that he had started to see real action.

'Sword Lance reported a Warhawk,' John replied, 'Very few besides the Clans would have even one of those.' he smiled to himself, 'Don't worry kid, if it turns into a shooting match, we'll pull out and regroup with the rest of the regiment, there's no way they could take Tukayyid with four dropships, not with the numbers we have.'

'A Warhawk?' Jimmy asked, 'I've never heard of one of those.'

'I find that hard to believe,' John replied, 'It's the Clan name for the Masakari, I just find that Warhawk rolls of the tongue ea…' he was interrupted when something slammed into the right shoulder of his Highlander, 'Where are they?!' he shouted checking his sensors, which showed only the green dots representing Bloodstripe Company. Nobody made a reply, though there was much cursing going on as they also came under fire. John looked at the shoulder of his 'Mech and was able to tell from the damage that he had been hit by a Gauss round, though it seemed to be smaller than even what the Light Gauss Rifle fired. He pivoted his 'Mech's torso, scanning with his eyes trying to see the Clan 'Mechs that had to be out there.

'Falcon Base, come in Falcon Base!' he shouted into his helmet's mike, 'Eagle Lance, we're being jammed, head back to base and get us some support.' he said, 'Bloodstripe's haul ass, get back to base ASAP.' he turned his 'Mech around and broke into a jog, picking up speed. A flash of movement caught his eye and he turned his head, just in time to see a Battle Hawk crash to the ground, he then saw the 'Mech that had shot up the lightweight 'Mech. He pivoted his own 'Mech and fired his Heavy Gauss Rifle, he saw the armour on the enemy Timber Wolf's leg get smashed by the slug that slammed into it at hypersonic speed. The Timber Wolf's pilot retaliated by firing his lasers, which splashed across the Highlander's left side and arm.

'Take this you bastard!' Jimmy cried as he opened fire on the Timber Wolf with his Heavy autocannon, the shells ripping into the Timber Wolf's cockpit armour.

'Jimmy! I told you to get out of here!' John yelled into his mike as he stepped closer to the Clan 'Mech. He drew back the fist of his Highlander and punched the cockpit of the 'Mech, tearing through the weakened armour and into the seat that had held a MechWarrior who was now nothing more than a red stain.

As the two 'Mechs ran from the Clan forces, tailing the rest of the company by only a short gap, John Merrill sat in the seat of his Highlander, considering the actions of the young MechWarrior who's Hunchback ran alongside him.

Crimson Falcon Base Camp

Tukayyid

14 March 3175

Major John Merrill, and MechWarrior Jimmy Ford stood at attention before the General's desk, waiting for the mercenary commander to speak. 'That was reckless of you, both of you.' he finally said, ' and frankly, I don't understand your reasons for doing so.'

Both MechWarriors stood their for a moment, before John spoke, 'Sir, I would like to commend Jimmy for a promotion.' he ignored the incredulous stares that both gave him, and continued, 'He did not actually disobey orders, and attacking that Timber Wolf like that was very brave of him, many others with far more experience than him would have fled in terrorunder those circumstances.'

'You may be right,' his father replied, 'but what about you? You failed to follow your own orders, endangering yourself, a vital member of the company.'

'I wouldn't have if it wasn't for that 'Mech,' John said, 'If that 'Mech hadn't come so close to the company, I would not have stopped to neutralize it.' The General chewed his words over carefully, before responding. 'And what about your mission?'

'The mission was compromised, they had some way of keeping their presence a secret until they were right on top of us, they also have changed their tactics, they didn't attack like they did before, in all the other battles that have ever occurred between the Clans and Inner Sphere, this is the first time I know of that they ambushed someone like this.