Chapter 7
Exodus

The next morning nothing was stirring except for a lone mechwarrior tuning up his mech.

Jared: The black wire is hot and white is safe or was it the other way around?

In the barracks...

Kim had woken up and headed out to her mech as her daily routine dictated.
When she reached the mech bay the sun had risen and was shining directly on to the mech's, making each one glow like massive metal clad gods of war. Jared's Atlas decked out in black and battleship gray looked even more menacing then usual in the morning sun shine.

Jared: Hey Kim you heading out early too?

Kim: Yeah since everyone else is too hung over to even walk let alone pilot, you want to come along?

Jared: Hey I'm out here for a reason besides it's not wise to go out alone not with all the extra clan activity recently.

Kim hoped into her mech went through the needed start-up security measures and brought her warhorse to life.

Kim: Alpha this is Athena you still alive up there?

Alpha had barely gotten into his chair when her call came in.

It's too damn early for hunting clanners there's no doubt about that.

Alpha: Yeah I read both you and Hybris, but mind telling me what the hell is getting you two to go on patrol at this hour?

Jared: Someone has to do it so why not us?

Alpha: Point taken…I'm sending your patrol route now.

The two mech's walked outside onto the tall grassy plains that surrounded the base and started their patrol that would take them through several rocky ridges and deep river valleys all of them hot spots for ambushes.

They took their time walking through the area enjoying the relative peace that seemed to be everywhere around them, they had just cleared a valley when Kim saw a massive cloud of dust floating in the general direction the base.

Kim: Hybris you see that dust cloud?

Jared: I know what you're thinking and no there are no supply convoys coming today. Let's go and see what it is.

Kim: Judging by the size of the cloud there must a lot of them and they are moving at good clip too.

They both ran within senor range and were shocked by what they detected.

Kim: My god! I have at least 100 mechs and lord knows how many vehicles on my sensors.

Jared: The clanners are sending everything they got at us! I'm calling this in now make sure they don't turn to attack. Base this is Hybris with priority message have spotted massive clan attack force grid 37x30 sector 12 I repeat massive clan force heading to the base!

The radio man called for the commander to come up and listen to the transmission for himself.

Radio man: Sir should I sound the red alert?

Commander: No it can't be true the clanners wouldn't throw everything they got at us all at once it's not their style. Sound yellow alert and get the mechwarriors up, soberized, and post them around the base walls doubling up around all the gates. Tell Hybris and Athena to haul ass and get back to the base ASAP.

Radio man: Yes sir…Zulu base to Hybris and Athena we are going to yellow alert make best possible speed to base and prepare to take up defensive positions.

Jared: Roger that hauling ass now ETA two-zero minutes.

Kim: We going?

Jared: You can bet your sweet ass we are.

They turned around and sprinted over the hills and the valleys, jumping off of cliffs, and running through small rivers.

When they reached base everyone was on edge as word spread of the size of the clan force coming toward them. Jared and Kim stood guard over the infantry barracks in the back of the base.

Kim: Jared are you nervous?

Jared: A little…I hate waiting for the enemy to come to me particularly if I know how much they out number us.

He sighed with stress and punched a few buttons and let the sound of heavy metal rock music fill the cockpit.

Kim: I see that I'm not the only metal head here.

Jared: Hey whatever can help with the stress of waiting besides if this doesn't work I got a crap load of techno and trance to fall back on.

They got a good laugh out of it until the com channels were soon filled with men screaming out the positions of contacts all of them coming from the front of the base.

Jared: Commander do you want me and Athena to move up to the battle line?

Tucker: Negative hold your position we don't need your help up here.

Jared grimly accepted the order and kept scanning the rest of the base looking for any possible targets. Then like lighting he found himself in the middle of combat surrounded by enemy shadow cats.

Damn Shadow Cats jump jetting out of nowhere.

He and Kim got back to back started blasting with everything they had but the clans kept coming. Jared could feel the heat bleed into his cockpit and burn his legs but that was nothing compared to the heat outside the mech as he took and dished out tons of ordnance.

Kim: Commander we can't hold our position for much longer! Commander!

Jared checked his sensors and all he got were enemy contacts and Kim no one else.

Jared: Kim we need to run away we are all that's left from Zulu base.

Kim: Shit…I got an idea I'll blast an away out you blast anyone who follows Quiaff?

Jared: Aff set course for 250 at full speed until we lose all tails then change course for 315 and then you will reach Hotel Base.

Kim: But that's at least a 3 day trip!

Jared: Then I hope you can live without sleep for 3 days otherwise we will be sleeping for a long while.

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