Chapter 4 Murphy Sticks In His Bad Finger
Always attack. Even in defense, attack. The attacking arm possesses the initiative and thus commands the action. To attack makes men brave; to defend makes them timorous. If I learn that an officer of mine has assumed a defensive posture in the field, that officer will never hold command under me again.
Alexander, King of Macedon
Bruce (In a holding pattern.)
I leaned back putting down the battered softcover I was reading at Sarah's touch. Surrendering to her warm, strong hands as she worked my shoulders. It's become a weird sort of war, I thought. Home on weekends, twelve to sixteen hour days training for the op. Commanding three times the number of troops I'm used to. At times it's a little unreal.
I must have spoken aloud as Sarah rested her chin on the top of my head and asked;
"What's unreal?"
"Everything, being here, the job we're training for, that the end is in sight."
Sarah pulled me a little closer letting me talk.
"I can only guess what it was like for you, here on Earth, for us it was always one planet after another. Weeks in a tin can wondering if the KF drive would fail in mid-jump, if the next planet we hit would be your grave."
I shook my head in wonder.
"Ten years Amaris took from us, and you know if I didn't have you…"
"At least you could hit back", Sarah laughed bitterly.
"We could just sit and hope, go on like nothing was happening."
I stroked the back of her hand aimlessly and nodded.
"You didn't know Talia Greenberg, she was my best friend here on Earth," Sarah went on, "Her parents both worked for the Department of Communications. She trailed off then.
"They were passing information." I said guessing what was coming next.
Her voice got husky with emotion then.
"I was on the vid with her when they came. I think they shot her mom at the door, then her dad."
I felt her shudder at the memory.
"Dupre, the one who tried to… Who you shot, he was in charge."
I sat up and Sarah rested her head on my shoulder, wiping away the tears on her sleeve.
"They shot her then and there was nothing I could do."
Zeus, father and savior, give me vengeance, I thought, clamping down on the rage.
"Daddy told me you were a soldier that same night, he'd heard through channels about Acamar."
I kissed her forehead and brushed the hair from her eyes as she looked up at me.
"I never saw you as the soldier type, but every night I would call up a starmap and wonder when you would come to save me."
"Some nights, when it was really bad, I'd curse your name for taking so God damned long, others I'd imagine you charging in on your 'Mech and stepping on Dupre and the whole Amaris clan."
I chuckled then and she looked up at me angrily.
"What're you laughing at." she growled
"Just thinking, here I show up, late without my 'Mech, all raggedy assed and stinking of gasoline."
Sarah looked away, smiling and shaking her head.
"Not the way I expected you to show up, no."
"Forgive me?" I said teasingly.
Slipping on to my lap she leaned in for a kiss whispering,
"I'll think about it."
Alex (Killing Time, Killing Sharks)
Elmo shook around him as the Excalibur's gauss slug and wave of missiles swarmed over the heavy 'Mech. Known as a "Streak" for its speed and lack of armor the SLDF heavy must have been looted from some colonial unit. The humanoid machine had a third less armor than the Terran version, but plenty of speed for its weight and a huge amount of firepower. In the right hands it was a deadly cavalry machine providing rapid fire support to lesser units. The RimJobber piloting this machine had no clue how to properly employ his ill gotten 'Mech.
Not, Alex mused, to say he can't shoot.
In reply Alex accelerated the last few meters into range and let go with a full salvo from his six laser weapons, the twin 8cm heavy lasers in Elmo's torso sliced into the Gauss Rifle in the Amaris machine's right arm. The tremendous energy detonated the capacitors storing the energy for the railgun's next shot. The detonation sent the other 'Mech stumbling to the left and the four 6cm pulse models carved in the ruined torso to savage the Excalibur's extralight engine.
The blue and gray 'Mech stopped dead in its tracks staring down at the empty air where the right half of its chest had been. As the Amaris machine's safety mechanisms engaged it stiffened collapsing flat on its face. In spite of himself Alex laughed at the sight.
A lull in the fight allowed him to pause bleed off the built up heat. Below him what should have been pristine early spring Rocky Mountain wilderness was charred and cratered, littered with the corpses of both men and machines. Takeo Amaris' Huscarl Dragoons and elements of the 113th Regulars; a combined arms brigade; were fighting a spirited defense against the Tigers and the 21st Striker Regiment of the Eridani Light Horse. Artillery from both sides hammered sporadically at the troops on the ground. In the clear blue sky Amaris Corvins and Star League Zeros dueled amid twisting contrails. Occasionally a flight of Hammerheads or their Rim Worlds counterparts; Vultures broke through on bombing and strafing runs.
Christian Traumentieri's First Battalion anchored the Star League line digging in their heels against a mixed regiment of Amaris Regulars. Three of the Assault Battalion's four companies were made up of Pillagers the last of Devastators. Chris commanded the single most powerful concentration of firepower in the 90th Heavy Assault. With advanced munitions in short supply on both sides what artillery strikes that did get through were mostly conventional rounds. Most BattleMechs could use a mix of mobility and armor to resist such rounds. While more mobile than most Assault 'Mechs what the Bloody Paws of 1st Battalion did have was nineteen tons of armor apiece. Barring the more advanced armor piercing and smart munitions the Paws had little to be afraid of. The Amaris troops however were advancing into a meat grinder. At full strength for the first time in years the Bloody Paws turned their fields of fire into interlocking kill zones filled with argent streaks.
In contrast to most modern weapons the cost in terms of supply, money and even heat during combat the Gauss Rifle is the about the lowest cost weapon imaginable. The devastating almighty gauss slug was nothing more than a 250 kg hunk of ferrous metal. The gun itself is where all the high technology rests. As a result Chris' Paws had ample ammunition. The Manticores, Hunters and Colonial tech BattleMechs of the 113th Regulars seemed from Alex's position to simply dissolve, one blackened and burned Marauder simply vanished as its 120mm cannon ammunition detonated. The 'Mech looked so much like one of the Tigers own Mads' that Alex felt a chill down his spine.
The failed assault opened a seam between the Regulars and Huscarls. The 21st Striker Regiment surged forward looking to split the Amaris line. Alex pulled his battalion up in support as did Justine. Backing up the Strikers, Alex was glad it was the Eridanis' sharing the line with them. Despite the rivalry between the Light Horse and the Tigers, the two units had formed a bond over the past year. As the first of the Huscarls began to close the gap, Isokoru's Swift Claws slammed into them. Justine, closer to the action than Alex, maneuvered her heavies to support the closely engaged Kuritans. The Strikers were overrunning the front elements of the Regulars.
"Mitch, he called to, his exec, form up the hole is open."
"Gotcha boss, Captain Mitch Sovino answered, Don't want to be late to the party."
Takeo (Baiting Tigers.)
Heat rose from the floor of General Lee's cockpit as Takeo salvoed a wave of cannon and laser fire at the Dragon in his sights. The red and black machine twisted away from him stretching out its arm to spit cannon fire back at him. Taking the hit he spat 90mm warheads back at the Combine designed heavy as another cassette clunked into his big gun. With a ripping whine the rapid fire cannon spread a line of destruction up the Dragon's side. The squat machine plowed a groove in the ground as it fell on its face.
Finishing off the SLDF machine with a quick lance of laser light to the top of the machines head, Takeo moved to engage a Lynx leaving it a broken wreck on the ground. Pushing through the Tigers' second battalion his command company plowed into the gray green 'Mechs of the Eridani regiment. Rending a Phoenix Hawk and two Griffins with concentrated fire, Takeo snarled orders to his first Battalion.
If they could hit the 21st Striker Regiment hard enough, the SLDF advance might stall.
The massed assault machines of Takeo's 3rd Company arrived, the massive Great Whites sent a shock through the Eridanis. Then fate took a hand.
A squadron of Vultures; rearmed from a previous mission got through the air battle. Six fighters dropped a full load of cluster munitions into the middle of the Strikers. The combination of the increasing fire and the bombing run sent the Strikers reeling. Fire from the ground chased after the retreating planes but only took down one.
A gauss slug slammed into him from the left crushing the laser emitter in his chest. Twisting in his command couch Takeo dodged the following whips of particle cannon fire. Half a klick away separated by chance from its cohorts a black and red Marauder had crested a low hill and was tracking in on him. A secondary viewscreen set to zoom in on his targeting systems caught a quick image of pair of icy blue predator eyes on the forward torso.
Wendigo, Major Justine Sinclair commander of the Hungry Tigers, he thought.
"Pinging" the enemy machine on his tacmap Takeo brought the target to the attention of his own Fire Lance. A pair of 7J Hecks and two Whitworths sent a hundred warheads at the Terran heavy. A swarm of the hypervelocity rockets sent the Marauder to the ground with the spasmodic jerk of a wounded pilot.
"Sergei, I want that pilot!"
Calling back an affirmative, Sergei Johannsen commander of 2nd Battalion's Jackal Company led his mix of Sharks and Vampires into the fray. Both of Takeo's remaining battalions a little over four companies had taken a high ground position around the mouth of the valley and were laying down a pattern of covering fire. Around them the remnants of the 113th Regulars were reforming and coming to the aid of the Amaris heir.
Jackal Company had reached the downed Marauder which was sheltered by the hill it had climbed. Acting quickly a Vampire used a combination of lasers and myomer power to wrench the cockpit from the stricken machine. The Tigers were not however going to let this prize go. The heavy 'Mechs of the Hungry Tigers surged forward shielding the regrouped faster machines of the 21st Striker and the Kurita expatriates of the Swift Claws. The retreating Jackals were too fast however. Shielding the cockpit toting Vampire with the mass of their own machines the bulk of the strike company slid away with their prize.
Hope she's worth it, Takeo thought.
Christian (Tigers Fury)
"Goddamn it, fucking move!"
Christian Traumintieri screamed at his men but the massive assault machines were never meant to be fast. Pulling the triggers on his dual gauss rifles he slammed a Shark into the ground. Shifting targets he sighted in on a Great White dug in on the ridge. Sending two more of his dwindling rounds downrange to hammer at the Amaris machine he felt a cold pit form in his stomach. Fear in combat was par from the course. You feared death of course, but the training and instinct kicked in. But getting captured by the Usurper. And Justine, well argue as they might, they'd served together ten years on the line. Even his wife Kaitlin didn't know him like Justine did. To lose her now….
In the back of his mind he noted the Great White exploding.
The Amaris troops were stiffening their resistance now. Showing some backbone. That little pecker Takeo. Say what you want but the bastard was one good troop. A wave of long range missiles hammered down on the Paws then and his sensors screamed a warning. In the movies the cavalry always arrives to save the day. This day however it was the bad guy who got saved.
A brigade of Amaris heavy armor had arrived to support the Huscarls. As the battle raged the tankers had used their ECM and the confusion to take hull down positions on the ridges flanking the valley. Almost three hundred armored fighting vehicles began to pour fire down onto the Star League troops. Boxed in on three sides, Chris knew what was coming.
Still, passing on the retreat order left the big blonde major with bile in his throat.
Takeo (Dealing with Daddy.)
The throne room of the Empire of Amaris sat in what was the Grand Ballroom of the old Star League Capital. The Throne of the First Lord of the Star League had been sealed by Stephan Amaris. The bodies of Richard Cameron and his guard in the same positions as the day they fell. His father had been spending more and more time in that ghastly chamber. Of course Stefan Amaris had been getting stranger and stranger, more out of touch. The architect of the greatest single coup in human history was without a doubt crazy as a loon.
Or maybe he was always nuts.
Takeo Amaris kept the cookie cutter smile plastered on his face as the line of well-wishers past him by with their gifts and pleasantries. The tension in the air seemed to heat the room despite the Emperor's preferred cool climate settings. Takeo noticed beads of sweat on the foreheads of many in his fathers court.
They know it's over. The Empire is a corpse that doesn't know it's dead. And the brain keeps going on like every thing is fine. The Brain in question sat beaming on the Wormwood Throne, looking for all the world like a Mongol version of Santa Claus. Beside him Takeo's mother was checking yet again for flaws in her makeup. A famous runway model on Apollo, she had never been known for her smarts.
Still, Takeo thought, she had been a good mother to him and his siblings.
She doesn't deserve what's going to happen.
Looking down he saw his sister Sinthya holding her arms up at him.
Since birth she had taken to Takeo with a subconscious connection that spooked him sometimes. Picking her up he smiled, relaxing for the first time ages. As he rose he caught Hideki's eye. His brother smiled back grimly. While Sinthya was definitely her own person, even at six, and their other sister Kara took after their mother, Hideki was dad through and through. At twenty seven, a year younger than Takeo, and the commander of the elite 219th Dragoons Hideki was a total bastard.
While Takeo had fought on the front against Kerensky's forces as they marched through the Hegemony, Hideki had been in charge of suppressing rebellions on Terra. His brutality was legendary. He was also hideously efficient. As the last of the well-wishers filed past Hideki sauntered over to stand by his brother.
Under his breath Hideki sneered;
"Idiots, all of them."
"They know we've lost."
Hideki looked at Takeo sharply.
"Careful what you say brother, not even you are immune to Dad when he hears such talk."
Bouncing Sinthya on his hip to start her giggling Takeo replied;
"This would be over today if he did, note the guards 'Ki."
His brother nodded thoughtfully. Instead of the usual squad from the 1st Guards, the sentries in the Throne Room were from Takeo's Huscarls.
"And here I thought you were a regular space scout Tak."
"Be prepared, bro."
Chuckling Hideki handed him a small data chip.
"Happy birthday big brother."
Slipping Sinthya to Hideki's waiting arms, Takeo ran the chip through his wristcomp and looked up in astonishment.
Hideki tickled Sinthya under the chin smiling faintly.
"Iron Maiden as Charlotte the Harlot at L'amour, Brooklyn."
"Ki, this must be over a thousand years old…."
"Took that long to find it."
Rising from the Wormwood Throne Stefan Amaris gestured to his sons.
The Amaris Emperor's voice boomed in the spacious hall.
"Takeo, my son, for both the day of you birth and the valiant service you have provided I grant you the world of New Avalon and the Princedom of the Federated Suns. For the actions of his vile family in supporting Kerensky's rebellion, I have stripped John Davion of his lands and titles and ordered the arrest of the traitor Sarah Davion."
As the shocked murmurs rose in the court, Stefan Amaris settled back in his throne.
The cherubic smile on his face sent a chill through Takeo even as he stepped forward and thanked his father. He dismissed the thought of contradicting Stephan almost immediately. While subconsciously he'd known his father had lost his grip on reality it had never hit home. Now he understood why General Sunderland, his father's Commanding General had all the Emperor's commands coming in on a private channel.
A stern look passed over the Emperor's face then as he gestured for silence.
"The second part of our gift to you, Takeo comes with some sorrow."
Takeo glanced at his brother who shrugged looking puzzled.
"Our most trusted servant General Sunderland has betrayed our trust and opened negotiations with the enemy."
As shocked exclamations of disbelief rose for the second time the Emperor raised his hands.
"It is true, In the hour of our final victory the General saw only defeat and was preparing to open a hole in our seaward defenses. A strike force of Kerensky's rabble was to hit our forces from behind, led by the criminal DeChevalier. Takeo, you are hereby promoted to General of the Armies. Your first task will be to eliminate this force when it comes to land on Vancouver Island."
Okay, Takeo thought, can do.
"Then before knowledge of their failure reaches them, General Lo of the First Guards will unleash our nuclear arsenal on the rebels as they assault our positions. With the bulk of Kerensky's force dead you will sweep the remnants of the rebels from Terra."
Oh shit, he can't be serious, nukes?!
"Father, by waiting for Kerensky's armies to engage us, many of our troops will be caught in the blast zones."
His father smiled and spread his arms.
"Then they will die Heroes of the Empire, their sacrifice will pave the way to the greatest victory in human history."
As his father sat back on the throne a satisfied look on his face, Takeo caught a flash of fear on his mother's face, just for an instant. The birthday party lasted only two more hours but it seemed to Takeo like an eternity. Hideki seemed just as antsy. As soon as was politic the brothers slipped away.
Walking out onto the terrace surrounding the top of the needle like central core both men were silent for a time. Hideki pulled out a bug detector rare even among Terran troops. After sweeping the area he turned to Takeo.
"You've got a plan, so spill it."
"You're not gonna like it."
"Sonny Cobb still alive?"
Hideki held up the bug detector in answer.
"Good I need to talk to a certain bad ass on the other side."
"That Captain from Fort Bollenger?"
"Yup."
"You're right I don't like it."
"You know what happens if Dad goes through with his plans."
"Kerensky replies with his nukes."
Hideki looked at his brother grimly.
"And we all fry."
"Us and about seven million John Q. Publics."
Hideki snorted.
"Takeo, I don't give a fuck about those sheep, Dad's delusional and Mom'll never leave him."
He grabbed Takeo's arm and glared at him.
"But you get Kara and Sinthya out and safe."
"We both will."
"Nope."
Takeo's brain stopped dead in its tracks. Hideki went on his voice tense, as their Mom would say; his Apollo showing.
"Kerensky knows my face, you they've only got a ten year old High School photo of."
"How…"
"Sonny got lucky, aww hell Tak, you know these Terrans, they're good but arrogant.'
Hideki met Takeo's eyes then.
"You know Kerensky will want his pound of flesh, and he'll get it."
Hideki smiled a vicious gleam in his eyes.
"But he wont like the price he has to pay for it."
Justine (Life in Hell.)
I am an officer of the Star League Defense Force.
I am a MechWarrior.
I am a Black Tiger.
I am stronger than these RimJob fucks.
The Light and the Voices came again. That dumb ass Apollo drawl from the Brute. The smooth cultured tones of the Inquisitor. The questions came again. How many? Where? When? Justine barely heard them anymore. That didn't bother her. What did was she didn't know was if she answered any of them. She didn't think so. Mainly 'cause the pain came after the questions. When the Inquisitor caused the pain it was cold, impersonal. When the Brute caused it.
Well it was far worse.
Through the haze, she heard the Inquisitor's voice.
"I'm done, you can have an hour, do try not to bust her up so badly."
A low grunt was the reply. She felt the Brute's hands.
I am an officer of the Star League Defense Force.
I am a MechWarrior.
I am a Black Tiger.
God no, God no, God Christian help me…
I am an officer of the Star League Defense Force.
I am a MechWarrior.
I AM A BLACK FUCKING TIGER! I AM STRONGER THAN YOU BASTARDS!Christian I need to tell you….
Wait that's a laser.
Bruce (An unexpected call.)
I don't think I've ever run so fast in my life. My quarters are close to the Presidio's Headquarters but still. In the back of my mind I know that screech of metal was the Mongoose I cut off. The pilot's curses followed me all the way to the Admin building. I stumbled to a halt in front of two very surprised sentries. Returning their salutes I realized I still had shaving cream on my chin. One of the sentries handed me a handkerchief . Cleaning up, I handed it back to him with an apology and thanks. I'd just had the presence of mind to call ahead to General DeChevalier and was passed through without hassle.
The General was pouring over weather reports and looked up when I entered.
"Bruce, what's going on?"
"Sir, I was on the vid with Sarah when this came through."
I held out my pocketcomp.
I'd recorded the words scrolling across the screen over Sarah's call.
As he digested the message I went on.
"I had Tommy Lindon try to trace it but we didn't have time, he'll keep his mouth shut tho'."
DeChevalier nodded and looked up gesturing for me to continue.
"Tommy did catch a SIG off of it, Sunny Cobb…"
"Hideki Amaris' pet slicer."
He fixed me with that stare of his. Aaron DeChevalier has this way about him very open and honest. I guess that's what makes him a natural leader, you just trust him in your gut. Samuel Winter's like that too. That stare of his just makes you do your best for the guy. You don't even think about it.
"What's you read on this?"
I collected my thoughts.
"Sir, it's genuine, we're sticking our heads into a noose."
I shook my head at the insanity of it.
"Sunderland is dead, our boys are looking at the business end of the Amaris nuclear arsenal."
DeChevalier voiced what I hadn't.
"An arsenal that includes strategic level weapons."
I nodded, nausea tickling the back of my throat.
"We would wipe out the Usurper but the damage, Sir we'd be left with a charnel house."
"You know who sent this, don't you."
I nodded.
"Takeo Amaris, I guess after me chasing him across North America for a year he thinks he knows me."
The General rose and poured coffee from the pot next to his desk.
"Since this Cobb fellow sliced us back in May we don't even have a DNA profile on this guy, so you're the resident Takeo expert, coffee?"
"Thank you, black please sir."
Sipping on the dark strong brew, I thought about how to broach the second part of the message. DeChevalier beat me to it.
"Are you going to go?"
Whoa, not what I expected.
"Sir, unless ordered not to…..
I met his gaze.
"She's a Tiger sir, If there is even a chance."
I shrugged.
"This is off the record Major Gilmour, his terms state no more than a squad. I understand Major Traumintieri is close…."
I cleared my throat uncomfortably.
"I know Major, nothing dishonorable, they've served together for ten years, such friendships can be strong."
"Major Traumintieri is on downtime rotation, Didi Moran and her gang of shooters, if I can borrow them."
The General chuckled, "Got it all figured out then."
I nodded, the coastline around Astoria in my head.
"Elements of the 3rd Mechanized Infantry are nearby if we have to run."
I looked out the window behind him into the clear August sky.
"What about his price, General."
"Leave that to me, If the Amaris nuclear stockpile can be bought for the price of three lives, two of them young girls, then they'll be safe as I can make them."
Chris (On a Wing and a Prayer.)
The Poseidon class submarine Trident hummed around him as Chris sat in his loaned bunk. Captain Hsu ran a taut ship, crew and machinery working in the harmony only trained and disciplined professionals on a top of the line ship can achieve. Having spent three years as a crewman on a cargo sub serving the undersea domes in Indonesia, Chris had some idea what was going on. It was the smallest of comforts. Looking across the corridor at the rec room he saw Captain, no Major Gilmour pacing restlessly. The younger man had called him that evening saying only, "We're getting Major Sinclair, are you in."
Kaitlin had hugged him fiercely, whispering; "Get Justine, then get you're ass back here."
She'd turned away, but not before he'd seen the tears in her eyes. Chris clenched his fists, letting his muscles tighten and release, wishing he'd said something, anything to his wife. But he'd just grabbed his keys and drove like a madman to the SLDF blue water naval base in San Francisco.
Captain Hsu, a short gray hared officer in his fifties, with way too much grief in his eyes paused by the doorway and watched Bruce as he sat back finally and sipped at his iced tea.
The submariner looked down at Chris, and he could feel the man measuring him. Chris nodded rising to salute but the older man waved him off.
"Bruce never shipped undersea before, sir."
Looking up at him Hsu seemed surprised.
"But you spent long periods in space, must be the same thing.'
"Weightlessness makes it different somehow, maybe a psychologist could explain it."
"And you?"
"Engineers mate on the S.S. Marlie Howe, three years on the Indonesia Dome run."
Hsu looked up in surprise, then away thoughtfully.
"The Marlie, that was Captain Baresh's ship."
The way he said it told Chris everything.
"When."
"Two years into the occupation, she was running supplies from Australia. Amaris left the shipping alone for the most part, but somebody must have tipped the Rimmers off. Air strike took them on the surface, sharks got the rest."
"Baresh taught me a lot about the sea, and about leading men."
"Guys like him are the reason Amaris never took the Domes. Drove him crazy and cost him a lot of men and equipment, but he never broke us."
Hsu grimaced.
"And now we're a taxi service."
Chris looked at him sharply.
"Captain you're on a mission that might just end the war for good."
The other officer nodded.
"And you're helping us get back one of our own."
Something in his voice made Hsu look at him closely.
"Well then Major, I hope you find what you're looking for."
Didi (On the Water.)
The Trident's assault boat was of a type unchanged for almost a millennia. A light inflatable boat holding the six members of her short squad plus the two majors. Its engine was almost silent and almost invisible among the waves. The LZ a small abandoned town ten miles north of Astoria, Washington had a small section of docks. At the prow of the boat Bruce was looking out with a set of IR goggles.
"Got him, straight ahead."
Pucker time Didi thought, as Bruce flashed a small but powerful directional IR light at the shore.
It seemed like no time at all to reach the docks. As the team slipped off into the town, Didi could see three men and two girls in the square crossing a row of benches overlooking the water. Two of the men were holding at stretcher. She sensed Major Traumintieri tense next to her.
"Easy sir" she whispered.
Under cover of Didi's team Bruce rose and went forward to meet the group.
Then the world exploded. Forty millimeter cannon fire ripped one of the men apart and sent another tumbling over the rail. One of the women ran screaming only to be cut down before she got three steps. As the stretcher dropped Didi recognized Justine Sinclair as its passenger. She also recognized the shape of an Amaris Vulcan.
Bruce was on the ground on one knee holding his side. Through the thermal on her helmets visor Didi saw blood.
Behind her Mike Kelso and Joanne Kimmel were readying disposable SRMs while Fernando Beria had a portable target acquisition laser ready to relay data to the Trident. The risk being Amaris fighters detecting the launch of the Tridents Sea Arrow guided missiles and sinking the teams ride.
As Bruce tried to stand Didi shouted to him to get down.
The Vulcan homed in on him, a block away towering over a general store.
Knowing it was too late Didi opened her mouth to order the team to open fire.
Then the Vulcan exploded, hit from behind by large caliber autocannon fire, knocking down the longhaired major.
A Grey and white Hecatoncheires pushed the burning wreckage aside almost frantically. Holding up her fist to stop her team, she noticed its sensor arms pointing at each male then at the dead woman.
"Hey, asshole, you want to live, check the little girl."
Bruce staggered half crawling to the still form a few feet ahead of him. Checking her quickly he shouted back that the girl was alive but needed a doctor.
"All right pretty boy, I see two of my men but no Takeo…."
On his knees Bruce straightened up, looking up at the 70 ton 'Mech.
"I think he got hit."
"YOU THINK?"
"Goddamn it yes, If the girl means anything to you dickhead, you'll let me get her out of here."
The center torso laser on the Heck aligned with Bruce's head.
"Are you afraid, pretty boy?"
Gods, Didi thought, this guy's a loon.
"Of course you asshole, like you wouldn't be."
"I'm already dead Captain Gilmour, I have nothing to be afraid of."
The machine straightened and paused.
"Gilmour, that pack she has is your prize, the girl's name is Sinthya with an S, Take good care of her you son of a bitch."
The Hecatoncheires stalked off into the night. Chris rushed forward to cradle Major Sinclair's head as he check for wounds. As Didi ran over to Bruce, she noticed he was holding the girl who looked five or six and was trembling uncontrollably. Despite the wound in his side he was rocking her back and forth singing an old lullaby.
Sinthya Amaris looked up at him and said.
"Tak go away?"
"Yeah kid." He answered.
Takeo (Floating in Time.)
Takeo Amaris stared up at the unforgiving stars. The Pacific waters were cool and soothing. Idly he wondered if the ultrasonic shark nets were still active. Be just my luck to get eaten by the family crest, he thought. I'm certainly bleeding enough. It occurred to him that he should be in a great deal of pain. His face felt like a stiff mask.
How the hell did I get myself into this mess? He wondered.
Leaving Hideki, Takeo had set up the betrayal of his father. It was simple really. Sonny Cobb hadn't even been surprised. Changing into jeans, boots, T-shirt and his favorite leather jacket. Slipping a Sony palm laser into his pocket he strode out to get the final piece of the puzzle. Heading down to the detention block installed by his father in the deepest levels of Unity Center he braced him self.
Stefan, Hideki, and many of his fathers supporters were cruel to the point of depravity. Convinced of their own superiority they treated others like vermin. Takeo was no angel but there was a line he wouldn't cross. Brutal suppression of rebellion, savage no holds barred tactics on the field. But torture as punishment, or worse for no reason at all get real,. You got physical if it would get you information to win a battle or get you the names of some rebel ringleaders.
It was after all that kind of stupidity that got us into this position in the first place. Shaking his head in bemusement he came up to Sergeant Kerrigan and her squad of Huscarls. Hideki had a detail set to relive the dungeon's guard. Both units were fanatically loyal to their commanders. Across the hall the guard detail changed the signal Takeo had been waiting for.
Striding into the room he saw two of his father's "interrogation specialists" at work. Major Justine Sinclair was strapped naked to the worktable. Electronic and chemical gear sat ready on tables, ignored. Takeo had seen her in intelligence briefings on the 90th Heavy Assault Regiment and on intercepted news broadcasts. Even wounded and captured she'd been proud and defiant. Now bruised and battered the SLDF warrior stared off at nothing. As the taller of the two inquisitors straightened and started to turn to the door.
Without thought Takeo raised the palm laser and shot both men in the head.
Sergeant Kerrigan entered the room quickly and set about checking the other woman over.
With a nod to Takeo she signaled two of her men to bring a stretcher and without preamble got the other woman into a clean jumpsuit. Sedating her and strapping her in the Huscarls with Takeo in the lead strode purposefully out of the dungeon. One thing about life under his father, seeing the Heir to the Throne and a squad of heavily armed troopers, no one questioned them. A second squad of troopers escorted both of his sisters, meeting them outside of the main garage. As Sergeant Kerrigan took the wheel of a waiting armored car, Takeo looked back. Standing in the garage doorway was their mother. Mother and son watched one another for a few seconds. Wiping away a tear, the would be Empress waved goodbye to her son and closed the door.
Clearing checkpoints had been child's play. Driving thorough the capital for the last time, memories of the first time he'd seen the center of all humanity superimposed them selves on his vision. Twelve years ago Unity City had been bustling with activity. A sixteen year old Takeo had been overwhelmed by the enormity of the place. The Amaris capital on Apollo was roughly the size of the old city of Tacoma, Washington. Unity City encompassed the established urban centers of Seattle-Tacoma and Vancouver. Built with a sense of environmental harmony there were numerous parks and trees everywhere. His father had grumbled at having to detour around a street festival but Takeo had been mesmerized by the street performers and colorful stalls. It was all gone now. Unity City's streets held only Amaris patrols. Playgrounds rusted away, A city of twenty million people had shrunk to a little over six. The district that had once held the festival had been the theatre district. Driving through now he saw the garish lights of brothels, strip clubs and gambling halls. If we had won, would I have even changed anything?
Sinthya tugged on his arm then. Holding up her palm media player, Takeo noticed she had a checkers game set up. Chuckling he put aside his gloomy thoughts and played with his youngest sister. Kara watched worry playing over her face. He smiled at her with what he hoped was calm strength.
"Mom knows about this Takeo." A statement, not a question.
"People don't give her enough credit."
Kara smiled at that.
"I know the feeling."
She looked out the small ferroglass window, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Your betting it all on one Terran officer."
"I know, I know….But it's all I've got."
She nodded and sighed.
The ride to the rendezvous point was spent in relative silence. Parking out side the town Takeo took two of his men to carry the unconscious Major Sinclair. Hiding in the shadow of a convenience store they waited for what seemed like hours. A flash from the water signaled the arrival of the Terrans. Sending the reply, Takeo waited till he saw the SLDF major step out from the shadows across the square. Stepping out to meet the other man he raised his arm, thinking; This guy looks like he stepped out of a bad space pirate flick.
Kara looked him over and smiled, whispering, "I like him already."
Chuckling Takeo whispered back, "He's marrying a Davion."
His comlink squawked to life then.
"Colonel, we have 'mechs on your pos…."
Across from him the SLDF officer's single eye widened and he opened his mouth to shout. Kara screamed and a hammer blow lifted him off his feet.
Takeo hadn't even realized he'd drifted off. The feeling of hands dragging him out of the water onto a fishy smelling surface woke him.
A worried female voice came from out of his view.
"Dad this guy's really hurt."
"See what you can do Kailey, I'll get Doc Martinez to meet us on the dock."
"Can you talk?"
Takeo tried to answer but gobbledygook came out the first couple of times.
"Wha..Where am I?"
"You're safe on our boat, can you remember your name?"
Thinking back to a game he used to play with his brother using the names of old storybook characters and heroes of myth he croaked out;
"Jones, Henry Jones….jr."
He passed out then.
Samuel (Tigers on the move.)
"Jacob, watch the fire from those Manticores," Wrestling with Bertha's controls Sam forced the big machine upright. Targeting one of the platoon of Amaris tanks contesting the highway, he cut loose with a salvo of Phoenix missiles. The warheads broke the left hand treads on the sixty ton AFV and fused the main turret into position. Jacob Roth sent a mix of laser and missile fire in to finish off the Amaris machine. Scouts from the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division (The Pride of Puget Sound.) were calling artillery and air strikes trying to keep the bulk of the Rim Worlds defenders away from the unfolding battle. Elements of the Eighteenth Amaris Chasseurs, Gunthar Von Strang's infamous Death's Head Regiment had executed a strike on what they'd thought was a supply and repair depot. The Chasseurs had been running ops on the SLDF lines of supply for the past three weeks. Despite propaganda to the contrary the Chasseurs were not just a bunch of thugs suitable for terrorizing civilians. They'd managed to slip through the tightening Star League lines three times, each time hitting supply depots, transport hubs and airfields.
Three days ago the Star League troops had gotten a break.
The Amaris Empire's premier slicer, Sonny Cobb had just walked into a café in San Francisco sat down across from his counterpart in the SAS, Tommy Lindon and sealed his defection over a latte. Tommy who'd handled the debrief said Amaris had totally lost it. The loss of his daughters and the disappearance of his heir had driven the Usurper over the edge. Stefan Amaris had ordered the immediate launch of every nuclear weapon in their arsenal. Of course when his troops had tried to launch those same weapons the self proclaimed Emperor of Mankind had gotten a nasty surprise. The packet carried by Sinthya Amaris had contained the codes for said weapons. A simple series of commands carried over the old SLDF network had fused the almost the entire arsenal to a useless mass of metal, wires and fuel. Sealed and unreachable in silos and bunkers on Vancouver Island the warheads would sit out this war and be spoils for the victor. It was a solution going back to James McKenna that was never supposed to be used.
Of course, Sam mused, we didn't get them all.
Some thirty tactical weapons hadn't answered the command, weapons up to 50 kilotons. On a strategic sense it wasn't enough to change the outcome. From Sam's level those weapons could wipe out every one of his girls and boys. Wild and unruly like the tigers they were named for, he loved them all. The thought of losing them all was not something he wanted to dwell on. Lose them he would, one by one as any commander did, and you dealt with it. You used the anger it bred inside to do the best job you could, to end the battle quickly and decisively. To be so threatening that no rivals even dared contest you.
Around him the 90th was demonstrating the end result. Von Strang's Chasseurs were disciplined, highly skilled troops. Easily as experienced as Sam's Tigers. The difference was simple, Von Strang and many of his RimJob peers led by fear. The Tiger's, the Eridani, were led by respect, in fact they demanded it.
Of course the Tiger's were also pissed off and the Chasseurs made for a satisfying punching bag. News of Justine's rescue and condition had spread. Samantha Wynndham the Regiment's CMO, had given Sam the report. Justine would recover from the physical injuries, but the psychological aspects of her ordeal would haunt her for the rest of her life. It didn't stop there, Justine was the diplomat, the voice of reason, and her calm cultured demeanor had an effect on the Tigers as a whole.
Putting a gauss slug through a Jackrabbit, Sam sent the light machine tumbling to the ground. Turning away he began to stalk a lance of Phoenixes slipping around to attack Christian Traumentieri's Pillager. Chris has been pure shit since we got Justine back. If I didn't need every trooper on the line, Sam thought, I'd have pulled him.
Drawing a bead on the tailing Phoenix, Sam sent a slug into the armor behind the Chasseurs' left shoulder detonating the medium 'mech's short range missile load. Quickly shifting his aim he sent twenty long range missiles into the rear of the next Chasseur without using the sophisticated Artemis fire control system. Years of practice let him arc the missiles to smash into the lighter machine's vulnerable rear torso. As his first kill exploded, the second machine had just begun to react. Sam's missiles slammed his target to the ground with a smashed gyro.
"Damn it Chris, wake the fuck up."
Not to sell the assault 'mech commander short Chris' Pillager Harbinger was swinging around to engage the remaining two. Surging forward Chris caught one Phoenix in the chest with two gauss slugs. Losing three of his comrades in under ten seconds must have thrown the remaining Chasseur for a loop. The medium 'mech stumbled into arms reach of Chris' Pillager.
With a brutal overhand punch Chris disposed of the Amaris machine and it's pilot.
With a glance at his commander Chris rallied his command company and began pressing on the Chasseurs' 1st Battalion in the center of the formation. Both Alex and Isokoru, their numbers bulked up by two brigades of heavy armor pressed inexorably on Von Strang's wings. Justine's Hungry Tiger's were held in reserve under Captain Lewis Rosenthal, Justine's XO. Lew's a good officer, Sam thought but he can barely hang on. All of the 90th took Justine's ordeal personally in general, her troops however took rage to new heights. It was a cold silent rage to be sure, but given the opportunity Sam knew they'd go berserk.
The trick was to unleash that rage where it would do the most good. The Chasseurs' were pulling back in good order, knowing they'd been suckered. Amaris air power had come out to play and the skies above were filled with a twisting storm of contrails as the Corvins, Vulcans and Vultures of the Rim Worlds forces tried to support the Death's Head troops on the ground. Jake Melindez, Sam's wing commander wasn't having any of it. The Spads and Hammerheads of the Rakshasas along with the Ironsides of the 1195th Royal Tactical Wing pounced on the RimJob flyers.
Leaving the air war to the professionals, Sam brought the Hungry Tigers up in a concentrated fist formation. He could feel the anger in the 4th Battalion's warriors in the way they moved their 'Mechs. His Command Company around him in front he set the unit to charge the retreating Chasseurs.
A shift in the battle caught his eye, looking over the tacmap he noticed Chris' Bloody Paws were in full charge with the Chasseurs now pulling them along.
"Chris, you're too far out hold up."
"Colonel we've got them, we can finish 'em."
Jake Melindez's voice broke in panicked warning.
"Avenger inbound, radiological warning, he's packing nukes, get that fucker now!"
Commander Jake Melindez rolled his Spad wing over to dive on the assault DropShip. Pouring fire into the big aerodyne he flashed past fire from the RimJob crew trailing in his wake. His wingman Min Hsieh repeated the maneuver. Hammerheads from Gold Squadron followed their 30mm gattlings spitting rounds into the big strategic bomber. Fire in reply sent two of his planes slamming into the side of Mt. Reinier. Jake's hopes soared when he saw a blast explode out of the DropShip's port wing. Traveling at the speed of sound and tree top level the big aircraft lost control and spun past the Tiger's lines to slam into the ground.
His satisfaction turned to horror as a sun bright bloom of light rose behind him and a massive blast wave slammed his fighter around like a toy.
Lay
me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have
gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more
have gone
