EIGHT

by Ulquiorra9000

Sol outskirts, Martel,
Barony of the Spire, former FWL territory,
June 18, 3079

Over a dozen Dropships had already landed several kilometers out from Martel's capital city, and the Battlemechs, tanks, and infantry platoons of Nickolas Fawkes' invasion force had deployed rapidly and efficiently right under Baron Albert Martineau's nose. Already, dozens of Battlemechs were on the march toward Sol, joined by countless support vehicles and infantry. At the head of this group was the command lance, and the invasion's perpetrator was strapped into the cockpit of a shiny silver and blue Hercules Battlemech.

And so, it begins, Nickolas Fawkes thought to himself with a self-satisfied grin. He twiddled his 'mech's controls a little to keep it steady as it tromped through the light forest around Sol. His 'mechs and the others around him knocked over the trees like toothpicks as the metal monsters bore down on the capital. On his home world, he had never personally been present in battles, but his new master Emmanuel Adelis required that Fawkes gain some field experience. And so, the ocean-loving general was now in the thick of things, but he still hoped to conquer the Barony with a minimum of bloodshed. He revered the life-giving oceans, not seas of hot, mortal blood.

Now, Baron, will you cooperate with me? Nickolas wondered to himself as his invasion force reached the open outskirts of Sol. He formed a half-circle around the metropolis, his force poised to take down the city at a single command. Instead of attacking, he kept his forces at bay and their guns silent, and Nickolas used a general frequency to directly send a message to the Baron in his Spire. Would the Baron give over his nation without unnecessary violence, or would Fawkes be forced to stain the waters with red blood?


Barony Royal Guard headquarters, Sol, Martel,
Barony of the Spire, former FWL Territory,
June 18, 3079

"Oh! There you are," the Baron greeted his guests breathlessly as Lane and Jennifer arrived at the headquarters of the Barony's defense force. They met in the spacious front lobby of the building, with wide windows giving a clear view of the sunny city beyond.

"Afternoon, Albert," Lane greeted the Baron, his heart sinking at the sight of the Baron's somber expression. "What's the matter?"

In response, the Baron turned and led his two guests across the lobby and into an elevator, punching a button to take them to the middle floor. "I have been invaded," the Baron answered simply, staring at his feet.

Jennifer clutched a hand to her heart in terror as Lane did a double take. "H-how can that be?" Jennifer gasped as Lane held her hand to comfort her.

The elevator arrived at the desired floor, and Albert led his two guests down a military-style hallway. "I got the general message just now, but we can all find out the specifics here. I don't know much more than you, except that at least a dozen hostile Dropships landed somewhere beyond the city limits. I have reason to believe that Emmanuel Adelis' army has arrived on my doorstep."

This can't be real, Lane mentally tried to deny the facts, but it was no use. His hand squeezed Jennifer's out of agitation. I guess we were all being too optimistic. I hope the Baron's defenses are as good as he claims! "Have you told Evee or any of her unit's members?"

"I did," Albert said without turning around. "They'll be here soon, but I wanted to see the two of you most of all. I... do not think I should confront this alone."

With that, Albert led the Farlows into the central intelligence room of the facility, a large meeting room with a long table and a huge viewing screen at the far wall. Numerous officers were assembled here and welcomed their Baron, who sat in the chair at the end of the table opposite the viewing screen. The Farlows stood beside him as the Baron leaned forward to look at the screen. "What do you have for me?" he asked.

"We received this message from the invasion's leader, my Baron," an officer gulped, holding up a remote and pressing a button. A live video feed flickered to life on the screen, a high-resolution image of a Mechwarrior in the cockpit of his 'mech. The Mechwarrior's mouth curved into a receptive grin, his bright blue eyes welcoming. He moved up and down slightly as his 'mech steadily walked forward.

"Good day, Baron Albert Martineau. I am Nickolas Neptune Fawkes, a general of Emmanuel Adelis," the Mechwarrior introduced himself in a pleasant but eager voice. "I am in charge of this invasion force. Three Battalions, plus support vehicles, are poised to strike Sol at this very moment. But I am known as The Whale for my gentle but strong policies, and I make this offer: agree to merge the Barony of the Spire into the Commonwealth, or have your realm wrenched from you by force. If you consent, we can end this without a single life being lost, and my present forces will be used only as security against any rebellious forces of yours."

The Baron's chest heaved and his eyes wavered as he weighed this important decision in his mind. Lane saw sweat running down his face, and his mustache seemed to droop a little. One of the officers turned to his Baron and blurted, "My Lord, don't listen to him! We have three regiments to employ against this monster -"

"Not so fast," Fawkes warned everyone. His Battlemech seemed to come to a halt. "To gain your trust, I will tell you that my three Battalions here are only the first wave. I have five whole Regiments in orbit, waiting for the command to strike. They are the Mako Lancers, the Barracuda Knights, the Kraken Legion, the Manta Guards, and the Moray. If you refuse to cooperate, you will feel their wrath! I'll give you time, to think about it, Baron, but not too long."

"I-I..." Albert faltered, looking around for support. His men seemed conflicted, or unsure what to say or do. Fawkes was offering a difficult decision – either join the Commonwealth and give up independence and risk betrayal, or be invaded by at least six Regiments' worth of Battlemechs. "Jennifer, the Lorins are my allies. Have they sent you any word on offering assistance against this invasion force?"

Jennifer shook her head, her hair whipping her face. "No, I'm sorry, Albert. I haven't heard anything from my father Mark or any of the other Lorins. My father would send forces to aid you when he gets the news about this invasion, but he would be too late."

"Well, Lane Farlow? I am the Baron, but you are a seasoned veteran and a famed Striking Tiger from the Lyran Alliance. I want your opinion."

I didn't think I'd see the Baron this freaked out, Lane admitted, and he felt no better about this than Albert did. He took a deep breath. "Part of me says to cooperate with Fawkes, but I really don't think so. Even if Fawkes means well, Adelis could be using that friendly face to lure you in..."

"And then exploit your Barony once you're trapped," Jennifer finished for him. "Though I can't say whether Fawkes is aware of that possibility."

Albert managed a grateful smile. "Thank you, Farlows. Those were my thoughts exactly. It pleases me to be seconded."

He took a deep breath and muttered, "Then this settles it." He turned back to the video of Fawkes and thundered, "Keep your offer, Nickolas Fawkes! I know better than to trust your gilded words. If Emmanuel Adelis wants my Barony, he will have to step over the charred corpses of my defiant Royal Guards!"

A look of deep disappointment and regret crossed Fawkes' face, whether feigned or genuine. "Then you will be washed away in a righteous tide," he warned the Baron. "I'd do best to prepare those defenses." With that, the video feed was cut, leaving a black screen where Fawkes' face had been.

"He'll soften up my defenses with his current forces before those orbital regiments land, I wager," Albert told the Farlows and his officers at large, settling into his chair again. If he was deeply disturbed by Fawkes' threats, then he was hiding it well. "How much can I mobilize right now? Fawkes is already on my doorstep."

"The Azure Scimitars are ready, my Baron," one of the older men reported. "The entire regiment is ready on your order, but the other two Royal Guard regiments will need more time."

"Will the Scimitars be enough?" another man voiced his concern. "We face an unknown."

"You forget that the Scimitars are my elite," the Baron reminded him. He glanced uncertainly at the Farlows, and Jennifer stepped forward.

"I, Jennifer Abigail Farlow, will assist the defense of this city," she proclaimed fearlessly. "The Baron is a good friend and ally of my family, the Lorins, and I will lend myself to the defense of his Barony."

Many of the assembled officers looked impressed. "Who are you, madam?" one of them asked.

"The Baron didn't tell you?" a small smile crept across Jennifer's face. "I am the daughter of Mark Lorin. My maiden name is Jennifer Lorin."

"Then Sol will not fall!" one of the officers got ahead of himself excitedly. "Mark's daughter!"

The Baron waved a hand, but he couldn't help a small smile of his own. "Yes, it is an honor to hear that Jennifer here will aid us. It is, however, entirely by her own choice. Honor her for that."

"Don't count me out, either," Lane offered, stepping forward to join his wife.

"Do I recognize you from somewhere?" the same excited officer asked, squinting over at Lane.

"You might have seen me on the Holonet a few times, yeah," Lane nodded, trying not to lose his composure in front of everyone else. He was awed by Jennifer's fearless and bold move, and didn't want to lose face in front of her. Ah, she's my wife, all right! "I'm Lane Sirius Farlow, the younger brother of the hero of the Striking Tigers Battalion, Ras Farlow. I fought Clanners all over the Lyran Alliance, Draconis Combine, and Free Rasalhague Republic a number of years back. Jennifer was there with me."

The eager officer looked amazed. "So you'll help us, too? Fight for us?"

"Let the boy speak for himself," the older officer barked.

"Yes, I offer my arm for the defense of Sol," Lane said. "No invader will set foot in this city. The Baron has done much for my wife and I, and I'll repay him the best way I can: waging war in my Battlemech on his behalf."

The Baron stood. "My gratitude, Farlows," he said warmly, his eyes dancing. "My tech crews have kept your Battlemechs in top condition in the 'mech hangar of my Royal Guard military complex. Would you like to be escorted there?"

"Yeah," Lane agreed, and Jennifer nodded her consent. They were excused from the meeting, and taken to the complex in an armored vehicle.

"You were pretty good back there, in the meeting room," Lane complimented Jennifer in the back of the vehicle on the roads of Sol. "Your inner fire is still running hot, huh?"

Jennifer made a bashful smile and swatted her husband's arm. "Oh come on, I just had to. It's not like I'm a war goddess leading a mortal rabble to victory."

"You aren't?"

"Don't be so silly," Jennifer laughed. "You and I are only two warriors, but we'll do whatever we can to help."

"I'm just amazed that I could follow your lead without getting tongue-tied," Lane admitted. "Even after all this time, I get nervous speaking to crowds, especially with so much at stake."

"Well, as long as we do what we promised, it's all right."

"You read my mind."


Royal Guard military complex, Sol, Martel,
Barony of the Spire, former FWL territory,
June 18, 3079

"Oh! Hi, Cassandra. I should have expected to see you here, but this is a pleasant surprise anyway."

Lane and Jennifer had been swiftly taken to the military complex of Sol, where the Baron's Battlemechs, aerial vehicles, and tanks were kept, and Lane couldn't help himself upon seeing his longtime friend in the largest Battlemech hangar. Clad in a gray and blue technician uniform, Cassandra Goyua waved hello and stepped down from a scaffolding, from where she had been tinkering with the exposed innards of a Trebuchet 'mech. This hangar was enormous, able to hold an entire battalion of 'mechs, forty total. Half of them had already left the hangar to defend Sol from Fawkes' invading troops, and the other half were quickly being powered up and walked out of the hangar. A towering Zeus stomped past Lane and Jennifer, painted the blue and silver color of the Royal Guards.

Alphonse was here too, and he and Cassandra led the Farlows over to two particular 'mechs in the hangar: a Mad Cat and Uziel parked side by side, both 'mechs painted black and orange in honor of their pilot's former unit, the Striking Tigers.

"Here they are, in top condition," Alphonse grinned proudly, waving a hand up at the two 'mechs. "Lane, Jenny, they're ready for whatever dangerous mission you have in mind for them."

"Indeed. We've promised Albert to help defend Sol from Nickolas Fawkes' invasion," Jennifer explained, looking up fondly at her Uziel. She used the Baron's first name out of familiarity. She smiled. "Thank you, both of you, for doing this for us."

"What? But of course," Cassandra glowed as Alphonse slipped behind her and placed his hands fondly on her hips. "I'd do anything for a friend."

"Speaking of friends, there's a few other people here you should see," Alphonse added.

Lane looked behind him. "What? Who?"

"I'm over here. Good to have you here, Farlows. Good timing," a woman's voice said from the side, and both Lane and Jennifer turned to the side to see Evee Ridinghood approaching, already clad in her cooling vest and shorts for 'mech piloting. She tossed her vivid blond hair, her eyes determined. She wasn't alone; three more of the Ridinghood Cavaliers were with her, also dressed for 'mech piloting.

"Oh, Evee. You must have gotten the tactical update as well," Jennifer greeted the older woman.

"That's right. It looks like Emmanuel Adelis isn't ready to leave us alone just yet," Evee said grimly, as dull thumps of battle started to ring from beyond the hangar. She growled, "Earlier today, Parker intercepted a hostile task force near the forest. It was meant to disable Sol's power grid or to attack hangars and barracks. Parker and Chilali repulsed the attack but they had been cut off from us by Fawkes' invading forces, and I'm going to cut a path to them and bring them back here." Evee's voice was strong, but there was definite concern in her voice too.

"We're ready to do what we must," Tiger Wong offered, and Evee nodded. Lane got an idea. He extended a hand to Evee. "Then why don't you add two more to your rescue team, Evee?"

"You want to help me?"

"Yeah. After all, we've forged an alliance under fire. We have to watch each other's backs until this whole storm blows over," Lane said, and Jennifer nodded to his words. "What do you say?"

Evee only needed a second to decide. She shook Lane's offered hand. "All right, Farlow, I'll welcome your help. A reinforced Lance of six sounds good to me. These Halloween 'mechs are yours and Jenny's, right?"

Halloween? Lane winced. He looked back up at his orange and black Mad Cat and his wife's identically-colored Uziel, and had to admit that she had a point. Cassandra made a laugh of triumph.

"I knew it! I knew someone else would agree that the Farlow 'mechs look like Halloween."

"Are you going to paint a black cat or a witch on your 'mechs?" one of Evee's Lancemates joked.

"This isn't funny. We have to get a move on," Jennifer frowned, her distaste for frivolous behavior emerging. She moved to a nearby locker room to change into her piloting clothes, and Lane moved to join her.

"By the way, Cassandra Goyua, thank you for the hard work on our 'mechs," Evee told the other gratefully. "You've done a great job getting them into working condition."

At these words, Cassandra tried not to blush. "Thanks, but Alphonse and the Royal Guards crew did most of the work. I mostly tinkered with the Crab and the Archer."

"Ready to start," Jennifer announced as she and Lane came back in their cooling vests. Evee nodded and motioned for her Lancemates to get moving. "Great. Let's kick some ass, huh Farlows?"


Sol, Martel,
Barony of the Spire, former FWL territory,
June 18, 3079

"Pretty handy to have some eyes in the sky, Evee," Lane told her on the comm in his neuro-helmet after Evee had explained the aerial assets of the Cavaliers to him and Jennifer. The reinforced Lance advanced down an empty street of Sol near the city limit. The roads had been closed to civilian traffic to allow military forces to move around with ease, and they needed it – Fawkes' forces were pushing close to the city, and countless sounds of combat rang in the air, and smoke rose from multiple flaming buildings and 'mech ruins.

"Chilali and her crew are some of the more dependable recruits I got for the Cavaliers," Evee's voice crackled back. "Unlike that Rocher freak. Don't worry, when we get closer to Chilali and her squad, it'll be easy to circumvent Fawkes' forces, get to Parker, and get everyone back to safety. Follow my lead, and we'll be all right."

Now Jennifer's voice came into Lane's comm. "It's been a long time since we undertook a real mission like this, hasn't it?"

"Years, in fact," Lane agreed with her, glancing out his cockpit canopy at her Uziel stomping alongside his Mad Cat. Evee's Lance was a few paces ahead of them. "Nervous, Jenny?"

She laughed. "A better question is if you're nervous."

"Why me?" he feigned being hurt by her words, a grin on his face.

"Because you always seem to freak out when the fur starts to fly."

"Now that's not true. I make the fur fly. Everyone else should freak out at me, especially at my Halloween 'mech, as Evee put it."

"Well, when we first started out when we were young, you hesitated with every shot."

"Is this your idea of teasing me? Or getting me ready for battle?"

"Ummmm... let's say both."

Lane's grin widened. "Don't forget that I beat you in our last simulator duel."

"Yes, yes. That last UAC 10 to the leg was too much to bear. But I'll get you next time."

"Assuming we survive this."

"Of course we will. Striking Tigers survive everything!"

"Now you're talking."

With that, Lane closed the channel, feeling a squirm of anxiety in his gut. I guess I really am nervous about this. She's right, it's been a long time since my last serious battle, but I know what I'm doing. Maybe I should talk less and focus more. Just chatter to ease the nerves...

However, none of Fawkes' troops were close to Evee's reinforced Lance on the way out of Sol, and the group stomped down a wide road out of the city limit and onto open grasslands, wary of danger. Both to his left and right, Lane could see distant groups of 'mechs and vehicles exchanging fire along the city border, but Evee had found a path out of Sol that kept them away from the hostilities. They needed to save their strength for later.

"Chilali, do you read? This is Evee. Report in," she said into the comm, but there was no response yet. "Huh. Nothing yet, group. Let's stay tight. Trouble could be anywhere, especially with this forest coming up."

Lane saw what she meant; only a few minutes out from Sol, the open grassland yielded to hilly forests that hid whatever lay beyond. The trouble was, the sounds of battle could be heard in the forest, a telltale sign that some of Fawkes' troops were trying to sneak through the forest to Sol and that the Royal Guards had intercepted them. Evee led her reinforced Lance right to the forest.

I guess Parker's group is in there somewhere, Lane figured, his anxiety growing. My Mad Cat isn't that great for forest battles, though. I hope that Parker's group is actually in the open lands beyond the forest! That would be better for me. I think there's a mesa out there?

Once again, Lane took inventory of his temporary group's makeup. There was his own Mad Cat, sporting an LRM 15 in each missile pod, an ER PPC and ER medium laser in the left arm, and an Ultra Autocannon in the right arm. This custom configuration was best or long- to medium-range fire support, but was decent in a close-range duel, too. Jennifer's Uziel had an SRM 6 in the torso launcher, two machine guns, an ER PPC in the the right arm, and two ER medium lasers in the left. The total firepower was a little light for a 50-tonner, but it was useful for nearly any situation and left room for a beefy engine and thick armor to extend the 'mech's survivability in a prolonged engagement.

Then, there was Evee's group. She was at the helm of an Archer with its 4M variant, sporting two LRM 20's with an Artemis IV FCS system, and four medium lasers, two of which were rear-mounted. Her Capellan Lancemate Tiger Wong had a Hellspawn-8E with two LRM 10's and three medium lasers. A Crab walked beside the Archer, piloted by someone Evee had said was named Cynthia. The 50-tonner had two ER PPC's, an ER medium laser, and an ER small laser. It had somewhat thin armor but a number of double heat sinks to let it use its energy weapons quite a bit. Finally, there was Connor Neils in his Crusader, using two LRM 15's, two SRM 6's, a pair of medium lasers, and twin machine guns.

The full impact of what Lane was doing struck him, and he shook his head with amazement. He and Jennifer had been considered prodigy warriors back in the Lyran Alliance, and now they were fighting the Commonwealth of Narvosk on behalf of a nation friendly to the mighty Lorin family. Looks like empires and prodigies are clashing today, and I'm here to take part! I can't believe...

He was cut off when a series of nearby explosions rippled through the forest just as the reinforced Lance entered the woods, and there was a scramble of comm chatter.

"Quiet, everyone! That wasn't necessarily intended for us," Evee told everyone, shutting them up. "But that does mean to get ready. I think we've found trouble."

"Ready for anything, Commander," Connor told her smoothly and confidently, raising the arms of his Crusader and raising the covers of his missile launchers.

"Good. Keep watch, everyone," Evee said to the group at large. Then she tried to contact Chilali's air squadron again. "Chilali! Do you copy?"

A young woman's voice answered her. "I both hear and see you. Parker's Lance is drawing close. You should make visual contact in just a minute. Watch out, though, I'm picking something up."

"Like what?" All of Evee's group was in the forest now.

"Watch out for the forest fire, for one thing. And... I'm picking up hostiles near your location. They must be using passive radar mode, and I can only vaguely tell where they are. Close, that is."

"Can you identify their numbers?"

"No. Watch yourself."

Evee sounded excited and nervous at the same time. "Lance, get ready to fight, but fire only on my order! Lane, Jennifer?"

"What is it?" the Farlows asked in unison.

Lane could almost see the grin on Evee's face. "I can't wait to see you two in action. Let's see what Striking Tigers can do."

"Oh, I'll prove myself, all right," Lane promised, gripping his joysticks tight as his heart started to hammer in his chest. He and the others pushed through the forest, and their thermal sensors picked up a huge wall of heat, the forest fire Chilali had mentioned earlier. Evee led her Lance through a non-burning portion of the forest, with the Farlows tagging along in the rear. At last, the six 'mechs were clear, and stood at the edge of a mesa. The mesa's south side was gentle slope on which Parker's battle-worn Lance was coming down. Lane found a Bushwacker, Uziel, and a Chimera following the lead of a ragged Warhammer.

"Evee?" Parker's croaky but relieved voice sounded on the comm.

"It's me, hon," Evee greeted her husband warmly, her Archer spreading its arms as though to hug Parker's Warhammer. "I've brought friends. We're here to make sure you reach Sol in one piece."

The Warhammer and its mates joined with Evee's group, making ten total 'mechs. "So, the invasion has really begun, has it?" Parker mused. "Adelis is here?"

"The Farlows and I were shown a message by the enemy in the Baron's military headquarters," Evee explained as the ten 'mechs started off back to the forest. "Right now, there's a number of enemy battalions surrounding Sol, led by a Commonwealth of Narvosk general named Nickolas Fawkes. The Baron refused his offer to surrender and join the Commonwealth, so Fawkes has pressed his forces forward and have promised to land at least five or six more regiments to take Martel."

Parker couldn't help himself. "Six regiments?"

"I know, it's a lot, and that's why we're all going to help the Royal Guards defend Sol."

"How big is the Royal Guard force, again?" Parker demanded.

"Three 'mech regiments, plus support vehicles and infantry," Jennifer supplied nervously.

"So, the Baron really does need our help," Parker figured with a huff. "Well, he has already made an enemy of the Cavaliers, so we may as well help."

The forest drew near, and Evee led the way into the woods. "Chilali, how's it look?"

"I still can't find the enemy forces near you! It could be a trap. Watch your left flank, I think they're there!" the pilot reported with alarm, and her warning rang true: a flight of LRM's streaked out from the woods in that direction, arrowing in on Evee's location. She stopped and drove her 'mech into reverse, getting the bulky Archer back in time to let the LRM's whoosh harmlessly in front of its nose. The missiles raged on and exploded against the ground, creating a charred crater.

"Get your guns ready, but don't fire until I confirm a visual!" Evee ordered her Lance, and Cynthia, Connor, and Tiger adjusted to cover Evee's left flank. Parker got his men into position to cover the right flank, and Lane and Jennifer moved up to cover the front of the group.

Then the trouble started.

"Hunchbacks? Out here?" Jennifer said with wonder as two camouflaged Hunchbacks came racing out of the forest, running faster than expected. Both 50-tonners trained their shoulder-mounted cannons at Evee's Lance but didn't fire quite yet. Just as Evee's Lance turned to face the threat, the forest rustled and three enemy Catapult 'mechs stomped out in a wide line, their missile pods poised to fire.

The five 'mechs focused on Evee's Lance, unwilling to spread their fire over ten 'mechs and have their fire diluted. Six flights of LRM 15's blazed through the air at their four targets, forcing them to break formation and scatter. They were unable to fire back under the fierce storm, and the two Hunchbacks got close to do their work. The shoulder cannon of each 'mech flared a stutter of yellow light as their Autocannons fired, but it wasn't the usual Autocannon 20; rather, they assaulted Evee's Lance with LBX-10 Autocannons, with cluster munitions.

"Damn it, scatter wide! Keep your sights on them!" Evee growled under the strain, and she yelped as her Archer took an LRM 15 to the face, and then a Hunchback's LBX-10 clawed at her left arm, sending flakes of armor flying through the air. The cluster munitions also scratched at the Archer's left leg, but the damage wasn't crippling. Evee threw her three red medium lasers at the offending Hunchback, singeing its torso armor. The 50-tonner spat an SRM 6 at Evee, which narrowly missed her. Then, Cynthia's Crab approached and slugged the distracted Hunchback's rear armor with a fierce ER PPC, burning away significant armor and making the 'mech stagger.

Connor's Crusader advanced to help finish the job, but the other Hunchback came up and stood with its back to the other Hunchback. The second 'mech fired its LBX-10 at Connor, forcing him to slip away without firing a shot. The Hunchback flung bolts from two medium pulse lasers at Cynthia, and she ran off to dodge them but took some hits all over.

"So, they're covering each other's backs?" Connor noted, seeing that the two Hunchbacks were covering each other's blind spots with the three Catapults for extra backup. "Tough break for us, Commander."

"But not too tough. We'll take on the two Hunchbacks, while you guys focus on the Catapults," Evee told Parker's Lance and the Farlows.

"Of course," Parker growled, his Warhammer taking a few heavy steps forward and raising its dual PPCs for use. Lane noticed that the 'mech's torso was badly mangled from lasers and ballistics, as well as its right arm. The left leg had been seared from a PPC bolt, but to Lane, that wound looked self-inflicted. Parker wasn't alone; he moved up Dietrich to cover him, and Rocher and Yamashita ran forward to hammer on the Catapults. Yamashita's Chimera triggered its lasers, suppressing the 'mech under the hot fire. Rocher's Uziel added its PPC, staggering the chosen Catapult further. The other two Catapults launched their LRM 15's at Parker's lance, forcing them to disperse. Not to be outdone, Parker hurled both of his electric blue PPC's at the wounded Catapult, and the 'mech's whole left side was ravaged. Its armor broke off like a shell, flaming and warped beyond use. The left missile pod crumpled and its internal ammunition exploded, rocking the 'mech dangerously.

"Wa ha ha ha! You runt!" Rocher hollered in joy as his PPC and lasers tore apart the remains of the flaming Catapult. The 'mech's legs wobbled, and then the whole machine sprawled forward as it fell into flaming pieces. Its companions backed up, disturbed by their peer's demise. Rocher raced ahead to take on the other two Catapults, but he was overextending himself.

"Get back here! Rocher!" Parker barked in alarm as Rocher closed in on the two Catapults. Evee's Lance was still fighting against the Hunchbacks, and the two Hunchbacks' LBX-10's and duo strategy were giving Evee's lance a run for its money. Parker, Yamashita, and Dietrich came forward to help, but they fell under a new assault. Red large lasers sizzled through the air as two Lances of Goblin tanks rolled out of the forest and hit Parker's Lance from their right flank. The large lasers mostly missed, but Dietrich's Bushwacker took a few hits, as did Rocher's Uziel. Rocher took a flurry of medium lasers from the two Catapults, further ravaging the 'mech. Rocher was in bad shape, and he cried out for help.

That was when Lane decided to assist. "Hang tight, I'm coming," he told Rocher, pushing his Mad Cat forward. Jennifer's Uziel tagged along and raced ahead, preferring close-range combat.

"Ha. You've got some balls, charging into this fray," Rocher commented, pulling his wobbling 'mech back.

I've been warned about his constant crude humor, Lane mused, but there was no time for talk. As the rest of Parker's lance chased after the Goblins, Lane lined up his two LRM 15's on the Catapults before they could hit Parker's Lance from behind. Holding his breath, Lane triggered both of his LRM 15's, and his Mad Cat was rocked slightly as the thirty missiles roared out of their pods at the enemy. He felt elation as one missile cluster hit each of the Catapults, hammering their torso armor and throwing them off-balance. Lane moved forward and lit up his ER PPC, sending his heat to higher levels. The high heat paid off as the PPC tore into one of the missile-damaged Catapults, removing the last of its right torso armor and exposing its inner machinery.

"Help me finish him!" Lane cried out to Jennifer, and she was quick to agree. Her Uziel raced close to the two enemy 'mechs, her SRM 6 and ER medium lasers distracting the less-injured Catapult to give Lane the chance he needed. Now, Lane got within 300 meters of the injured Catapult and the Ultra Autocannon 10 in his right arm came alive. Lane hung on as the right side of his 'mech shuddered from the loud, powerful recoil of the monster weapon. His aim was a little off, however, and his ballistic rounds missed the Catapult and vanished into the forest.

Jennifer picked up the slack. "Don't worry, I've got this," she promised her husband. The injured Catapult slowly turned to behold the orange and black Uziel coming close and fired its medium lasers. Jennifer deftly swept to the side, dodging all but one of the lasers, taking it to her torso. Then, the Uziel pressed its PPC gun arm right into the Catapult's injury and fired, impossible to miss. The PPC fiercely tore apart the 'mech's insides, gnawing through it and triggering a staggering chain of explosions in the 'mech's insides. Jennifer slipped away, dodging the medium lasers of the other Catapult.

I won't miss this time, Lane told himself, and he lined up his UAC and fired it again. Now, the Catapult was holding still, and his ballistics ripped through the injury and broke the enemy 'mech at last. The Catapult keeled over, falling apart from its inner bones shattering. The last Catapult tried to open fire, until it was hit by Parker's SRM's and PPC, and his Lancemates' lasers. The 65-tonner was blasted to pieces.

"All clear?" Parker asked as his Warhammer came close. Lane turned and saw that its left arm was now gone, with only stumps and dangling wires and myomers left on the shoulder. Still, Lane could see the ruins of all eight Goblin tanks behind Parker's Lance, and knew that the injury wasn't in vain.

"Yeah. Thanks for that," Lane said, as he and Jennifer joined with their allies. "You?"

"No tank is going to best me," Parker said confidently. "Though I would rather not run into anything else for a while. I barely have enough armor left to protect a Flea."

"We've got you covered," Jennifer promised, then turned and fired a PPC at the troublesome Hunchbacks. Those two 'mechs had done considerable damage to Evee's Lance, considering there were only two of them, but now they finally fell, too, bringing the end to the battle.

Now Evee's Archer lumbered back into position, gathering up her Lancemates. "Parker! Doing okay?"

"As I told the Farlows, let us make this our last engagement until we return to Sol," Parker told her.

"Fine by me," Evee said, turning and starting into the forest. Everyone else followed. "Chilali?"

Lane could hear the sound of the aerial squadron up ahead. "I've got nothing, Evee. Once you're clear of the forest, I'll find you a safe route into and through Sol."

"Good," Evee said as the group of ten pushed through the forest, but they literally and figuratively weren't out of the woods yet. About halfway through the woods, trouble found them again. This time, a shut-down trio of Glory Heavy Assault Vehicles was waiting for them.

The ten 'mechs scrambled to evade the Rotary Autocannon 5's of the huge treaded vehicles bearing down on them, but Autocannon rounds washed through the forest like a deadly metal rainstorm. The ten 'mechs fell back, throwing their combined fire at the Glory vehicles as much as they could.

Gah! These trees... Lane cursed, seeing the Glory vehicles slip out of sight around the trees to keep safe. He quickly turned this way and that, keeping an eye out for the enemy. Those things carry Rotary AC 5's, plus Artemis-guided LRM's and medium lasers. Maybe around this tree...

Lane turned around a huge tree, hoping to find a Glory and ambush it. Jennifer covered his flank, but their action was for naught; there was nothing there, though Lane could hear the rustle of the Glory tanks somewhere. Then, Cynthia shouted a warning and her Crab hurried over to block an LRM flight aimed at Lane.

"Cynthia?" he said uncertainly, watching her Crab shudder from the missiles.

"Over there! Hurry!" she shouted, and Lane and Jennifer saw the three Glory tanks emerging from behind her. They fired more of their LRM 15's, but these missiles were dodged and hit the trees instead. Gritting his teeth, Lane hurried and fired his ER PPC and UAC 10 at the marauding vehicles, scoring heavy hits against one of them. Evee's LRM 20's and Jennifer's PPC hammered them further, but the three Glory vehicles pushed forward, firing all of their deadly Rotary Autocannon 5's. Tree branches cracked and shattered from the metal storm, sending birds and other animals flitting away. The ten 'mechs were driven back yet again, sustaining increasing damage.

Having had enough, Lane, Jennifer, Evee, Cynthia, Tiger, and Parker all coordinated their fire and sent a hurricane of PPC's and LRM's at the approaching Glory tanks, trying to finish them off for good. The forest was lit up by orange light as two of the three Glory tanks succumbed, being blasted to molten pieces under the fire. The surviving one fired its LRM's and medium lasers, but it was weak by itself.

"Excellent! Just one more..." Jennifer glowed as her orange and black Uziel walked backwards while lining up a PPC shot. She was forced to stop when her 'mech backed up into something large and hard with a metallic thump, and she swiveled around to behold a camouflaged, shut-down Atlas standing right there.

Jennifer screamed in shock and terror, backing away from the towering 'mech as fast as she could, throwing her SRM's and lasers at it. The gigantic 'mech powered up, its engine rumbling to life like a hungry dragon. Another rumble sounded as a second Atlas powered up, joining its companion. They both bore down on the trapped Cavaliers-Farlow force.

"Check out the balls on them, huh?" Rocher joked feebly, until a thick purple beam of energy flared from the left arm of an Atlas at him. The Davion warrior cried out as the plasma cannon burned off his 'mech's right arm, taking out his lasers and throwing his Uziel off-balance. The two Atlases stomped forward, firing plasma cannons and large lasers from their arms.

"Damn it. More ambushes?" Evee growled, slugging an Atlas with her LRM's. The angered Atlas turned and bore down on Evee, throwing an MRM 30 at her Archer. Evee slipped out of the way, but the huge 'mech's torso fired up a Rotary Autocannon 5 and chipped away at her arms and legs, slowing her down. The surviving Glory surged forward, eager to avenge its fallen comrades. Evee got a respite when Cynthia's Crab scurried forward, throwing both of its ER PPC's at the Atlas' back, burning away half of its armor. In response, the 100-tonner whipped around and slugged the Crab with its plasma cannon and a large laser, blasting off the Crab's left arm, staggering the machine.

Determined, Cynthia pushed herself forward. She dumped coolant and fired up her remaining PPC and her ER medium and small laser, frying the Atlas' MRM 30 launcher. The missile launcher poured smoke, unusable.

"Enough, runt," the Atlas' pilot growled, and he triggered his three lasers at the Crab. Parker and Dietrich hurried forward to help, but Cynthia's Crab was overwhelmed, and the 'mech fell apart in flaming pieces under the horrific laser assault.

"Parker! It's okay. Get the other Atlas. The Farlows are here for this one," Evee told him, and Parker's Warhammer turned to confront the other Atlas. Lane and Jennifer advanced to take on the Atlas and Glory, eager to finish off their foes.

Evee sure turns bossy when the shooting starts, but she is the CO of her company, Lane reminded himself. Tiger Wong's Hellspawn turned and threw its twin LRM 10's at the Glory, driving it close to critical damage. The tough vehicle hung on, starting up its Rotary Autocannon 5. Tiger scampered away, but his 'mech still took a few hits from the ballistics. Meanwhile, Jennifer's Uziel raced forward and slugged the Glory with her SRM 6 and twin ER medium lasers, cracking its armor apart like a peanut. She finished the job by stepping off a huge fallen log and stomping on top of the Glory, crushing the tattered vehicle flat.

"You sure have style," Lane commented with a grin.

"Y... yeah," Jennifer breathlessly responded. Then, a laser from the Atlas seared her torso, breaking through her armor. The Atlas' Rotary Autocannon 5 tore into her torso and arms, and Jennifer trembled under the fire. "Lane!"

"One second!" he barked, then backed up and fumbled to get his crosshairs onto the Atlas. The huge 'mech triggered its fearsome plasma cannon, singing Evee's right leg. The Archer shook but didn't fall over; instead, it threw an LRM 20 and two medium lasers at the Atlas, and the 'mech was too slow to avoid them. Scooting into position, Lane achieved his lock and hurled his own two LRM 15's at the huge 'mech, then added his ER medium laser and UAC 10 to his fire. His Mad Cat's cockpit warmed up, and sweat started to bead on his torso. When the smoke cleared, Lane's stomach jumped when he saw the Atlas still standing, though badly damaged. It hammered Lane with its two large lasers and Rotary Autocannon 5, ripping apart his torso armor and shaking the Mad Cat too much for him to fire back.

Then, with a guttural cry, Jennifer raced forward and alpha-struck a critical wound in the Atlas' torso, her combined fire burning deep. The Atlas trembled, then turned to shoot back, still not defeated. Jennifer prepared for the worst, but there was no need. The Atlas' inner machinery started to crumble from the effects of the alpha-strike, and a domino effect unfolded in the 100-tonner's interior, growing bigger and bigger. To be sure, Lane fired his Ultra Autocannon 10 into the 'mech's gut, and that final attack pushed it over the edge. The Atlas' armor swelled and bulged out from a final, huge internal explosion, then, with smoke pouring from the cracks in its armor, slumped over and fell to its side. It didn't move, but the pilot did eject, clearing the forest as proof that the 'mech was defeated.

"Enemy destroyed," Parker reported, as his badly-damaged Lance came back over from the ruins of the other Atlas.

"Good timing. We finished off this bastard, too," Evee said, kicking the limp Atlas with her 'mech's foot. "Now, I really hope that that's the last of them."

"As do I," Parker heartily agreed. He walked over the burning heap that was Cynthia's destroyed Crab. "We lost Cynthia, and we will lose more if we don't get back to Sol quickly." Luckily, the Glory vehicles and the Atlases were the last trap. The way was clear out of the forest, and Chilali's instructions got the group into Sol's outer limits without trouble.

As he drove his 'mech down the road, Lane contacted Jennifer. "Wow! You did even better than I imagined, Jenny."

"Well, thank you," she responded warmly. "But you did a lot, too."

"I did what I could. Now, let's make sure no invader sets foot in Sol, shall we?"