Chapter Thirteen
Millargro, Trondheim
Ghost Bear Occupation Zone
18 February 3052
Vlad leaned forwards. "I am Vladimir Ward, commander of the Wolf Hunters. We are here to take this world, your garrison and the supply depot here for Clan Wolf. With what will you defend them?"
The Ghost Bear didn't shrink from his words, but nor did she rise to them. "I have a full binary of BattleMechs and our infantry complement is unarmoured."
"And I have an entire Cluster at my disposal," Vlad warned. "I will take this world, Star Captain. Be aware that anything you bid, I may destroy."
"I, Dawn Mitsuhan, bid my Alpha BattleMech star in defence of Trondheim." She gestured at the plains around them. "This will be our circle of equals."
"Bargained well – and done." Clan Wolf's Watch had informed Vlad of the garrison force without any need to ask for it. The infantry were useful in enforcing the Ghost Bear's will on the civilians but would have little or no value against his Wolf Hunters. By bidding away her lighter Beta Star, the Star Captain would force Vlad to deploy a heavy force to engage her four heavy and one assault BattleMechs – besides, those were the forces readily available to her.
"Ranna," he ordered. "Your Alpha Star."
"You do not bid amongst yourselves?" exclaimed the startled Ghost Bear commander.
Vlad smirked. "I challenged for, and won, the right to assign units to targets as I see fit."
"That is not the way of the Clans."
"It is the way of the Wolf." Vlad raised one clenched fist. "If my officers dislike it, they may challenge me for my position. I suggest you get to your 'Mech, Dawn Mitsuhan."
She turned and retreated without another word. She had brought out her Star – her own Kodiak and four Grizzlys - to greet the Wolf dropships, having somewhat naively permitted them to land without explanation of their purpose here. That mistake would cost her. Despite her bloodname, Vlad did not think she would be a valuable bondsman, but the same might not be the case of her warriors and certainly not of the supply depot here.
Ranna's Star disembarked and moved to face the Bears. She was still piloting the ancient Wakazashi and it was flanked by a Supernova BattleMech, a Kingfisher OmniMech and a pair of Glass Spiders. The two Stars were of very similar total weight and largely made up of slow, durable 'Mechs with tremendous firepower – the sort of slugging match that would usually favour the Ghost Bears' doctrine over the Wolves.
Then again, Ranna was under no obligation to fight under that doctrine and she quickly took the initiative, holding her 'Mechs in a tight formation and sweeping left towards the Ghost Bear flanks.
The Ghost Bear formation was looser and Ranna signified the Grizzly at the end of their line by firing on it with Gauss Rifle, PPC and both her lasers. At long range only the PPC and one laser struck home, searing armour from the smaller 'Mech's right arm and cracking plates beneath the arm's shoulder.
The Ghost Bear returned fire effectively, pulse laser tracking across the right side of her Wakazashi's chest and its Gauss Rifle scoring on the 'Mech's left shin.
Then, in complete breach of zellbrigen, the rest of her Star unleashed their own firepower into the heavy 'Mech. Lasers and Gauss Rifles hammered into it, savaging the right side of the Grizzly.
"Dezgra," called out Star Captain Mitsuhan but her Kodiak was at the far end of the Bear's line and wasn't even in range to add its weapons to the scattered return shots from the rest of her Star.
Ignoring the protest, Ranna continued extending her line and forcing the Ghost Bears to chase her. She switched her targeting to the next Grizzly in line and both the PPC and Gauss Rifle smashed into the side of its chest, tearing through armour and into vitals behind it. Then her autocannon hammered at the breach with cluster rounds and the 'Mech was masked from sight in the fireball of a reactor breach.
Vlad's eyebrows rose sharply. "I begin to see why you like the 'Mech so much," he admitted.
The first Grizzly engaged was retreating under a constant barrage of fire from Ranna's Star that stripped away virtually all of its armour protection. Vlad mentally marked the MechWarrior as possible abtakha – someone who could keep his 'Mech up and fighting under such a barrage was promising material.
The Ghost Bear Star Captain charged into the van of her remaining Star, using the bulk of her Kodiak to mask them as they reformed. Not inclined to ignore a willing target, Ranna's Star needed no hints as to their next target and shots pulverised armour across the 'Mech, one laser blotting away the bear-like visage and almost breaching the cockpit.
With irony, a similar shot almost killed MechWarrior Suikaina, whose Supernova, already one of the slowest 'Mechs on the field, had slowed to bleed off some of the heat. Her 'Mech wasn't the only one that had slowed though and the Kodiak was in range of MechWarrior Maddox's Kingfisher. The assault 'Mech was a formidable machine and for some reason Mitsuhan made no use of her assault autocannon but a savage barrage of lasers and SRMs took the OmniMech to its knees, head reduced to molten slag and with it the Wolf MechWarrior inside.
The Kodiak fell face first into the dirt after this salvo, gutted by the Gauss Rifles and Extended Range Large Lasers favoured by Ranna's Star. Fire erupted around the wreck as the fall finally ruptured its reactor and consumed the 'Mech and the luckless Mitsuhan.
Suikaina lingered just long enough to finally finish off the Grizzly that had been engaged first and then backed up to re-join Ranna as they pulled back to open the range on the remaining two Ghost Bears. Outnumbered two to one, the Bears were stubbornly still firing into the Wolf 'Mechs – specifically into Ranna, who was taking the brunt of their attention.
After two exchanges, Ranna cut the battle short by searing the cockpit of the leftmost Grizzly with her PPC.
Alone now, the final Ghost Bear finally broke off. "Star Colonel Ward, I request hegira."
"Neg," Vlad denied. "You showed courage in battle and now good sense in recognising you cannot prevail. I will have you for our Clan. Power down your 'Mech and I pledge you will have every chance to prove yourself a worthy warrior of Clan Wolf."
"I comply." The man lowered the arms of his Grizzly. "I surrender myself to Star Captain Ranna."
Vlad grinned ferally. A cheap shot, making the point that the warrior was Ranna's bondsman, not his. Good, his spirit was unbroken. Clan Wolf could use such warriors.
.o0o.
Planetoid #167, Star's End
Wolf Occupation Zone
18 February 3052
While Nova Cressidas was the only habitable planet in the system, no one of significance was there. Star's End was all about the habitats dug into the many asteroid belts. Realising this, Star Colonel Katya Kerensky had bid her Dorbeng Cluster to fight the Seventy-Third Adder Cluster on one of the planetoids, the environment putting the Star Adder warriors immediately off balance.
Also confusing to them was the doctrine she employed against them.
Under the weak gravity LRMs took strange trajectories and Katya bounded into what would normally be extreme range of a Nova, unleashing a salvo from her salvaged Dervish's chest-mounted launchers. More than twenty of the thirty missiles clawed away some of the OmniMech's protection and then she bounded back out of view, firing jump-jets to give her absurd agility. The rest of her deliberately under-strength Star had followed her, leaving four lightly damaged 'Mechs and one frustrated and unscathed Star Commander.
They had been doing this all day, raiding and teasing the Adders until both sides were scattered across the planetoid in small groups.
"Why do you not stand and fight!? Are you Wolves or Surats?"
Katya adjusted her own transmitter to the same frequency as the Star Adder. "We are fighting. I just shot at one of your Star."
"This is not zellbrigen!"
She considered reminding him that zellbrigen was custom but not law – and that all Clans had their own interpretations of it. But that wasn't the point she wanted to make. Her orders from Anton Fetladral were simple in theory but not easy to execute: defeat the Star Adders using AFFC equipment and doctrine… but maintaining the honour of Clan Wolf.
"At no point have I seen any of my warriors combined fire upon your target in these engagements. If you can report any incidents, I pledge on my honour as a Kerensky to investigate and punish the individual." Her orders had been very firm – if nothing else, while zellbrigen was in place the Star Adders had no incentive to concentrate their forces against isolated Stars and were willing to break off units to pursue small groups of Wolves.
"I have damage from at least three of your warriors!"
"If those were in three separate engagements then that is within the bounds of zellbrigen, quiaff? Once a warrior retreats from the battlefield, his opponent may engage and be engaged by another warrior. There is no law or custom that binds us to concede a trial when only one small part of the Circle of Equals has been fought over."
Katya's voice grew somewhat teasing. "So we are fighting you – and I believe we are winning. Your other demand, that we stand – stand still and become easy targets – is unworthy of a Clan Warrior. We do not owe it to any Clan to handicap ourselves in battle – we owe them our best efforts in opposition that the victory, if they can win it, be one worthy of report!"
"That is as it may be," a new voice declared. "However, your choice of terrain limits us both, Star Colonel Kerensky."
She recognised the voice. "Star Colonel Connery, your statement is unclear. This terrain shapes our battle, by offering both constraints and opportunities."
"I am speaking of our environmental systems."
Aha!
"We have been fighting for more than twenty hours, Star Colonel Kerensky, and this planetoid's atmosphere is negligible. I propose a ceasefire so we may both recharge the air supplies on our 'Mechs."
"Your meaning is now clear, Star Colonel Connery. However, I decline your offer. My environmental systems have ample reserves of breathable air so such a ceasefire would benefit you far more than it does me."
Clan cockpits were efficient and refined, but also optimised for short engagements. The Inner Sphere 'Mechs were larger and less efficient but also contained supplies of food, water and atmosphere that could allow operations for as much as a week without resupply. Katya had not been counting on the Star Adders finding that they could not maintain the battle as long as her Cluster could – but it was enough of a possibility that she had even had warriors napping in shifts between engagements to ensure they were well rested and ready for battle. Not to mention that while she had bid no Elementals for the battle, that in no sense prevented disarmed suits from carrying out basic armour repairs and reloading ammunition for her 'MechWarriors.
"You may withdraw to your dropships if you wish. However, we will stalk your warriors every step of the way."
There was a still silence as Macleod Connery realised the trap he had led his Cluster into.
"In case you are interested, Star Colonel, this is the relentless warfare we Wolves have learned to fight in the Inner Sphere. Your Khan was right that Operation Revival committed far too little of the Clans' toumans to the invasion – but he was wrong to imagine that even with all of our Clans combined we could have brought the entire Inner Sphere under our banners."
"We Clans were naïve in the ways of war, but those of us who have invaded have learned our lessons well or we have fallen in glorious but futile skirmishes. Your warriors are unblooded in comparison."
"And yet we have taken nine worlds from you, and even the Fire Mandrills managed to seize four before they inevitably fell to infighting."
"Impoverished worlds that could sustain no more than bandits and that are located inconveniently far from our centres of power. You took those worlds because we chose to let your warriors expend their resources fighting for them. More than half of your supplies are gone now and we choose to allow you no further."
Katya brought her 'Mech around for another hit and run strike on the battered Star Adders.
"Enough. I request hegira." There was no defeat in Connery's voice. He might have lost now… but he knew this strategy now and while victory was beyond his grasp today he could return in a few months prepared for it.
"Denied. You bargained poorly, Star Adder, and now you reap the benefits. If you order a retreat, perhaps one in three of your warriors may reach their dropships alive. If you bring your dropships in to collect your warriors then you have broken your bid by committing them to the battlefield and I will order in my aerospace fighters to interdict this planetoid."
"You think I will surrender my Cluster to you?"
"You will surrender your Cavaliers or you will see them destroyed on this lifeless rock." Katya's voice was as pitiless as space itself. "Decide quickly."
.o0o.
Gamora, Twycross
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
1 March 3052
Between the extended nature of the Occupation Zones, it had taken more than two months for word of the ilKhan's death and ComStar's machinations to spread. The need to secure the HPG stations had further extended the necessary coordination period for a Grand Council meeting.
Two months! In the Homeworlds no Khan was ever more than two weeks from the Hall of Khans or hours from assembling via HPG conference. Elias Crichell was less shocked than awed. The original four invading Clans each had realms now that were larger than the entire Kerensky Cluster. The Nova Cats and Diamond Sharks were well on their way to similar power and the Steel Vipers… well, incompetence was its own reward.
Still, such a scale was imposing its own limitations and assembling all thirty-four Khans in one place was clearly unfeasible and so they sat in small groups where they could gather and the restored HPGs tied them together into one body.
There had been a few changes amid the Khans. Kincaid Furey had not lasted long as the junior Smoke Jaguar Khan and Sarah Weaver had reclaimed her position. Surprisingly, Bjorn Jorgenssen was no longer one of the Ghost Bear Khans and it took Crichell a moment to identify that the new face was Laurie Tseng, previously the Loremaster of the Ghost Bears.
"We are convened in conclave at a time of war, under the provisions of the Martial Code handed down by the Founder." Brandon Howell, a Smoke Jaguar, was serving as Loremaster to the Council. Perhaps that spoke of the expectation that Lincoln Osis or Sarah Weaver would be elevated to ilKhan, leaving a space for him as a Smoke Jaguar Khan.
Crichell would not have been surprised if the Smoke Jaguars had already prepared a throne. It would be in line with their arrogance. They were likely to be disappointed.
"Our ilKhan has fallen. We are gathered here to elect his successor," Howell continued.
"Neg!" snapped Daryl Keller of the Blood Spirits. "To elect the ilKhan now would be improper. We must convene in person, on Strana Mechty."
Most of the Khans would need months to make that journey from the Inner Sphere. Crichell kept his face clear of the scorn he felt for the suggestion. Keller and his entire Clan must be losing touch with reality. The invasion was only barely back on track after their earlier reversals. Half a year delay in electing an ilKhan, who would then be another six months from reaching the frontlines? Absurd!
"I have examined the Martial Code at great length." Vandervahn Chistu leant forwards intently. "There is no precedent for electing an ilKhan away from Strana Mechty… but nor is there any regulation that prohibits it. We may set a new precedent if we so choose."
You have much to learn, Vahn, thought Crichell. You see yourself as a contender for the title – but by so obviously moving to innovate you will offend the more traditional Khans. You have no deeds to your credit that will make you worthy. Osis can take credit for the conquest of Luthien and Kerensky for Rasalhague, but they are my rivals here. Jorgenssen might have been a contender but he has been removed somehow. Not you.
"Khan Chistu is correct," agreed Howell - predictably.
"There are other matters to discuss here." Aletha Kabrinski rose to her feet with explosive force. "There are Khans who sit here who have betrayed the invasion, who have no right to cast votes in the election of our ilKhan."
Crichell blinked. That was a bold accusation to make. "That is a serious accusation," he observed. "Who do you accuse, and of what precisely?"
Kabrinski's hologram stabbed her finger across the chamber at the hologram of Ulric Kerensky. "The Wolves have turned their forces against my Clan's Invasion Corridor. Striking by treachery they have shattered our supply lines and slaughtered our garrisons. I demand the Grand Council censure them and call on the Wolves to elect new Khans who must make good their plundering."
"Mind your tone, Kabrinski," rumbled Lincoln Osis. "Not even a Khan makes demands of this Council. What say you, Kerensky?"
Ulric removed the wolf-helm and set it on the desk before him. "Khan Kabrinski may have forgotten that it was her own Clan which proposed, in one of our previous gatherings, that the worlds of our Occupation Zones should be open to Trials of Possession by other Clans. That measure was voted on and approved by the Grand Council."
"We do not deny striking at Clan Ghost Bear – we boast of it," added Charles Dinour. "We hold fifteen worlds today that were once held by the Ghost Bears. Aletha Kabrinski stands as senior Khan of that Clan today because we slew Bjorn Jorgenssen upon Alshain."
"Our actions are no more illegal than the recent Trials of Possession which have carved out enclaves for Clan Fire Mandrill, Clan Star Adder and Clan Burrock from worlds originally taken by Clan Wolf and Clan Jade Falcon." The older Wolf Khan nodded to the leaders of each of the three home Clans. "I hear no calls to censure them – and nor should there be. They fought bravely and well for those worlds."
"I agree." Osis crossed his arms across his massive chest. "And I will remind Khan Kabrinski of the fate of Clan Mongoose."
A hiss went up. Clan Mongoose had tried to use political influence in the Grand Council to overturn the outcome of military defeats. The Khans of the time had affirmed that the final judge of any decision was the battlefield and that the Mongoose's manoeuvrings were an affront to the Way of the Clans. Clan Smoke Jaguar had won the right to absorb the treacherous Clan but had treated it more as if it was a Trial of Annihilation. Virtually all the Mongoose bloodlines had been eradicated save for stockpiles of genetic material the Jaguars held as trophies but declined to ever use.
"A cautionary tale, Khan Osis. One we would be wise to remember lest other Clans make the same mistake in the future." Crichell smiled. "We must remember that Khan Kabrinski has only recently lost her Khan – something that may easily lead any of us to speak in haste and without due thought. I am sure Clan Ghost Bear is not so foolish as to take this false path, Khan Tseng?"
The former Loremaster looked as if she had bitten into something sour. "Indeed. We mourn our Khan but we acknowledge his death was a lawful one and that the Wolf's claims are within the bounds of law – although their disregard for Zellbrigen is an offense we will not soon forget."
Well. The Ghost Bears will certainly vote for neither Kerensky nor Osis now. In fact, I would not be surprised if the Smoke Jaguars decided to seize whatever is left of the Ghost Bear's stockpiles. They may be closest to Terra, but if the Bears think that that has made them friends then they are sadly mistaken.
"How pleasing to see that the Wolves claws have not blunted." Malavai Fletcher looked smug. His Clan had a long and sometimes bitter rivalry with the Ghost Bears. "Our recent gains at your expense had led me to wonder if the Founder's legacy had faltered."
"You have indeed bested our cubs and our elders, Khan Fletcher." Ulric smiled confidently. "The Grand Council demanded that Clan Wolf must participate in this invasion and so we have found our future here, in the Inner Sphere. I am sure that most of you are aware that our holdings on the Home Worlds are diminished in recent months. What you may not realise is that save for our holdings on Strana Mechty -" Each clan held inviolably an equal share of the Clan's capital world. Only the destruction of a Clan would lead to enclaves there changing hands. "- we have no remaining enclaves in the Pentagon or the Kerensky Cluster."
He looked around the chamber and seemed to find what he found satisfying. "With the help of our allies, we have brought all of our core assets into the Inner Sphere and here we will make our homes. If you want our worlds, come and take them – if you can. You may find it more of a challenge than you have found in the Home Worlds."
Howell thumped his desk. "If you will move on from this matter, we have still to elect a new ilKhan."
"First we must decide if we even should." Robin Steele glared at him with more vigour than Crichell expected from the aged Khan. "Strana Mechty is sacred ground and every ilKhan has been elected there. I move that we should abide by this tradition and adjourn the election until the Khans can gather there in person."
"I realise it may have escaped your attention, Khan Steele, but some of us have an invasion to carry out."
"Your invasion, Khan Chistu, has failed. The plans provided by the late ilKhan anticipated that we would need fifteen waves of attacks, lasting a total of three years, to reach Terra. Yet by my count there have been exactly that number of attacks and yet you are little if any closer to Terra - or your goal of declaring yourselves the ilClan - than you were a year ago. The resistance of the Inner Sphere is, if anything, stiffening."
"Khan Steele's argument is unwelcome," Sevren Leroux declared, "Yet we must admit that the invasion has not gone to plan. Our warriors now walk on Tharkad -"
"WHAT!?" came a roar from the Smoke Jaguars.
"Our warriors walk on Tharkad," the Nova Cat's senior Khan repeated patiently, "Be calm, Khan Osis, we do not claim control of Tharkad, merely to have reached it. We do have access now to unprecedented information on the Federated Commonwealth and their military capacity. While they have taken painful casualties fighting against us – and I draw special attention to the protracted and bitter fighting the Steel Vipers have endured – they are nowhere near the end of their material or personnel resources. Indeed, the pace of their preparations has only increased."
"Not only are the Federated Commonwealth constructing replacement equipment for units still fighting, they are even rebuilding destroyed commands. On Coventry we encountered a new Tenth Donegal Guards and a new Eleventh Lyran Guards, replacing the units destroyed by Clan Steel Viper and Clan Jade Falcon respectively. Having studied their factories on Coventry and Tharkad, our technicians confirm that their technology is generally abreast of ours – even ahead in a few limited areas."
Ulric leant forwards. "Such as?"
"I am told that some of their BattleMechs – including the same one used to successfully duel and slay Leo Showers – are fitted with advanced myomers up to three times as efficient as our own."
"Three times?"
"The functional performance gain is not proportionate, of course."
Khan Sennet cleared her throat. "I believe that some salvage from Luthien has included advanced targeting systems with capabilities we do not yet utilise. On that basis I would have to concur that the Inner Sphere's technology is not always inferior to our own."
"Indeed. And it is believed that the Federated Commonwealth has actually shipped weapons to the Draconis Combine." Leroux frowned. "I hope the significance is not lost on any of you. The Inner Sphere may not be united against us but they are at least willing to cooperate to an extent out of self-interest – something that seems increasingly difficult for us."
Crichell came to his feet. "This is valuable information, my peers, but we are once again straying from our purpose. Khan Steele has placed a measure before this council. Let us vote on whether or not to defer the election until we can return to Strana Mechty."
Howell bowed. "Thank you, Khan Crichell. A vote of yea shall be in favour of immediate election of an ilKhan, a vote of nay shall leave us leaderless until such time as the Grand Council can assemble on Strana Mechty."
The votes were tallied and Crichell gritted his teeth as a narrow gap widened. A core of crusader Clans favoured an immediate election but the Clans who remained in the Home Worlds formed a solid bloc against this, backed by Clan Nova Cat and – after both Wolf Khans abstained – Clan Ghost Bear. The final vote was thirteen in favour of an election and nineteen opposed.
Lincoln Osis slammed his fist against his desk. "I demand a Trial of Refusal."
"That is your right, Khan Osis. The odds are set at one point four-six against you, although bidding may reduce this margin. What forces do you bid?"
"The Sixth Jaguar Dragoons!"
Howell winced. That was one of Clan Smoke Jaguar's finest Clusters but… "That will require that the Trial of Refusal take place here in the Inner Sphere. In order to carry it out promptly…"
"I bid the First Bear Guards," offered Laurie Tseng, drawing a sharp look from Aletha Kabrinski. While Kabrinski was senior, that only counted within the Clan. On the Grand Council all Khans were equal. "I propose that we use Xinyang, on the border of our invasion corridors, as the location of the Trial. The Guards can be there in a week."
"The Dragoons will be there." Osis drew himself up. "We will do battle on the eighth of this month, quaiff?"
"Aff. Bargained well and done, Lincoln Osis."
"Since other matters should wait until we know if we will have an ilKhan or not, I propose we end this gathering," offered Charles Dinour. "At the current pace, if we keep talking we will have two new blood feuds by the end of the day."
Crichell nodded and in the absence of any opposition, Howell bowed and closed the session.
"Ulric is up to something," Chistu accused once the HPG transmitter had closed down.
"I agree." Cassius N'Buta was enjoying the hospitality of Clan Jade Falcon while his saKhan led operations against Clan Wolf – although those might now be stonewalled if what Ulric said about his forces was correct. If the Wolves had the full strength of their touman in their occupation zone then the Star Adder's Gamma Galaxy could be defeated easily without seriously weakening the Wolves elsewhere.
"If nothing else, he has forced the Khans to re-examine the Home Worlds. Election or no election I suspect at least a dozen of the Khans would be returning home within the month. If we want an ilKhan, all of us will have to make that journey. For the Wolves to arrange a withdrawal with no one even noticing…"
"I would not be surprised if a number of Khans turn out to be on their way already. I have not met with Lynn McKenna or Malavai Fletcher in months. SaKhan Posavatz of the Scorpions visited the Nova Cats recently, but Khan Djerassi…"
"Only the Smoke Jaguars have as extensive an Occupation Zone as the Wolves." Chistu rose to his feet and paced. "But they control a sparsely populated region of space and until they reached Pesht and Luthien, they controlled few major industrial worlds. Add fifteen Ghost Bears worlds to the Wolf domain and no other single Clan can equal them."
Crichell nodded. "If the Ghost Bears win their Trial of Refusal – or if they lose but the new Khan is not a Smoke Jaguar – Lincoln Osis will lash out at them. As unnatural as it seems, the Smoke Jaguars and Wolves will be – not allies, but at least have a foe in common. And the Ghost Bears will be crushed between them."
"Which does nothing to advance the Invasion." N'Buta looked over at the two Jade Falcons. "We need a new leader and a new plan. I must travel to our newly seized worlds to confer with Tabitha Paik before we return to the Home Worlds. You have until then to convince me that one of you is the leader we need."
.o0o.
Silverdale, Alshain
Wolf Occupation Zone
19 March 3052
The Silverroot Keshik crashed against the Golden Keshik and in moments the two trinaries were entangled in a brutal struggle for survival.
Traditionally the senior Khan of the Ghost Bears lead the Ourse Keshik but they had died with their Khan and so Aletha Kabrinski retained the Alpha Galaxy command trinary as her bodyguards and her saKhan was still escorted by the Beta Galaxy Keshik – wherever that might be, since Ulric knew that they hadn't been bid for this battle.
The sky, as 'Mechs and Elementals tore at each other furiously, was clear. Every pilot was engaged heavily far above the atmosphere as the Ghost Bear flagship Dieron's Run, the battleship Ursa Major and two escorting Essex-class destroyers tore at Ulric's flagship Dire Wolf, escorted by the battlecruisers Blood Drinker and Stealthy Kill.
Ulric's Executioner was loaded for mid-range combat, approximating the usual A configuration although he'd traded the machine guns and their ammunition for a rear-mounted small laser and an extra heatsink. A Mad Dog engaged him with PPC and autocannon. Recognising that it was trying to close into range for its substantial SRM racks, the Khan activated the acceleration circuitry built into his 'Mech and circled, raking the lighter 'Mech with fire from the pulse lasers in his 'Mech's left arm and then the extended range lasers in the right.
The Ghost Bears had discarded zellbrigen, expecting nothing less from the Wolves and they hadn't been disappointed. In this case that meant a second Executioner joined the battle and fired on Ulric with a Gauss Rifle and a pair of large lasers. The MechWarrior seemed content to pick apart the Wolf Khan from long range while the Mad Dog kept him from closing, scoring its own hit on his frontal armour with its PPC.
Ulric's counter was a classic one-two approach – first he fired his four extended range lasers low, stripping away armour from the Mad Dog's legs. Secondly he used his jump-jets to close in and peppered the more damaged leg with fire from his three pulse lasers.
The limb tore away and the Mad Dog crashed forwards onto its face, momentarily unable to use its missiles. Ulric closed further and unleashed almost all his lasers into its back. Explosions tore one side of the Mad Dog apart as ammunition detonated, while on the other side the bulk of the missile launchers were wrecked.
That probably wouldn't stop the 'Mech entirely… but Evantha Fetladral and her Elementals were already hopping from cover to cover towards it. And that would be final.
Ulric turned his attention to the enemy Executioner, which was slamming more shots into him, blasting away armour over his own 'Mech's left arm and leg. Returning fire with his pulse lasers, the Khan strode forwards, forcing the other 'Mech to back up if it wanted to avoid entering the range of the cluster of extended range medium lasers in the Khan's right arm.
The edge in firepower belonged slightly to the Ghost Bear until Ulric could reach four hundred and fifty metres – but only slightly, for deadly accuracy of the pulse lasers allowed the Khan to place his shots accurately – and he was aiming every shot for the right side of the Executioner's chest.
Jump-jets, myomer acceleration – the Ghost Bear tried all the tricks save one to keep the range open. His only hope of matching Ulric's speed was to turn his back and run at maximum speed, leaving him open to shots against the vulnerable rear armour. Unwilling to take that chance, he let the distance fall past that fatal distance and Ulric added medium lasers to his barrage.
This was sufficient to complete his objective, tearing open the Executioner's side and revealing the engine shielding, coolant systems and – fatally – the ammunition stock for the machineguns. Cellular ammunition storage saved the core internal systems of the Executioner – but it put the right arm out of action and reduced it to only one weapon – the gauss rifle in the left arm.
Changing tactics, the Ghost Bear halted his retreat, dropped to one knee and braced the gauss rifle for the most accurate shot. A slug smashed directly into the armour, right below Ulric's cockpit.
He returned fire, stripping away tons of armour.
The Ghost Bear Executioner shifted its aim up a little but although there was the slight electromagnetic pulse of the capacitors discharging, the Gauss Rifle didn't fire.
Out of ammunition, perhaps, Ulric concluded and closed in to finish the job. Before he could take another shot he saw a flicker of movement and wheeled his 'Mech sharply. A Fire Moth darted past, torso twisted to track him and five lasers burned through his 'Mech's left arm, just below the shoulder.
Ulric continued his evasive movement as the lightning fast light 'Mech circled around, angling for another pass. A Fire Moth in D configuration. In the Silverroot Keshik that could only mean one person.
"Aletha Kabrinski, I presume?"
"Aye."
She kicked in her own acceleration circuitry and rushed him, the little 'Mech's speed over two hundred kilometres an hour – unrivalled even among Clan 'Mechs.
Ulric fired his jump jets to avoid the fury of the Ghost Bear Khan's weapons. She had five lasers to his four, as well as a flamer (although if he let her get close enough to use that then he would deserve the outcome). Only one laser scored on his Executioner but none of his shots hit and she rushed out of range, using the distance to turn and cool.
The match was more even that it appeared – Kabrinski's speed let her engage and disengage at will now that his longest range weapons were out of action. That made his advantage in heatsinks moot since she could take time to shed heat. He retained much more armour but if she hit him and he couldn't hit her…
Instinctively, despite the decision to abandon the rules of zellbrigen, the warriors of both sides spread out to give the Khans room to battle without interference. Orders were one thing but a two century tradition was another. Many on both sides even ceased fire and backed up to watch the Khans battle.
The flipside of the coin, Ulric decided, was that not even the thickest armour on the Fire Moth could withstand laser hits from the weapons they were both using. Any hit at all could penetrate and potentially cause very serious damage to the light 'Mech. Only the supremely confident would use such a 'Mech in a duel like this – usually the Ghost Bears assigned Fire Moths as little more than transportation to a point of Elementals.
She charged again and this time Ulric didn't turn to avoid her, instead he moved his Executioner into the attack.
Armour peeled away from the Executioner's right arm as Kabrinski combined the targeting computer of her 'Mech with her preternatural skill and shaved away the armour of the limb, the bolts of energy tearing away myomers and one of the lasers.
As she rushed past again it was hard for Ulric to tell what damage she might have taken but his battle computer was able to reconstruct the hits for him, outlining a schematic that showed he had struck twice near the centre of mass, leaving much of the armour between right shoulder and cockpit bare of protection. He'd hit near the weapon mounts so he might even have taken out one of her lasers.
Kabrinski's tactic was obvious: take out his other arm and leave the Executioner almost defenceless. Then she could tear the 'Mech apart at her leisure and render Ulric helpless before she killed him. Even if he had taken out one laser, another pinpoint salvo like the last one would eliminate his right arm.
Ulric stalked back to where he had been standing when Aletha first attacked him, crouching the Executioner so that she was facing his left shoulder, the right arm shielded by the 'Mech's torso.
"It will not save you, Ulric!"
She rushed him again and this time Ulric didn't try to use his lasers.
Holding still until the last minute he brought his 'Mech up and around, the arm lashing out in a sweep that would be cockpit high on the Fire Moth.
Aletha danced the little 'Mech behind the reach of the arm –
And the severed left arm of Ulric's Executioner, held in the hand of his 'Mech, extended that reach enough to crash against the already damaged right side of her Fire Moth.
The Fire Moth spun twice under the impact and crashed down on its back, plates of armour cracking.
Ulric triggered his jump-jets, bringing up a ventral camera on one of his secondary displays to check his landing zone.
The camera caught Aletha Kabrinski's face staring up through the canopy of her cockpit for a brief second before more than ninety tons of OmniMech crashed down on her.
Ulric raised his arm. "Wolves! Break them!" he ordered.
Three Galaxies of his finest warriors howled as they charged into the horrified Ghost Bear warriors.
.o0o.
Silverdale, Alshain
Wolf Occupation Zone
22 March 3052
Bondsman Anastasius opened the office that Ulric had claimed for his own. "Khan Tseng of Clan Ghost Bear requests your attention."
Sitting back in what had once been Bjorn Jorgenssen's chair, Ulric stretched and then checked his uniform. The grey leathers seemed presentable enough. "I'll speak to her here. Put her through and listen to the conversation. I may want your opinion later."
The white-haired man nodded quietly and stepped out. A moment later and the hologram of Laurie Tseng sprang to life, sitting in a chair very much like Ulric's on the far side of the desk.
"Khan Tseng. To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure?"
"Spare me your empty courtesies, Ulric Kerensky. I gather that your Clan has taken to denying hegira so I shall not request that. I am here to discuss terms of ending the conflict between our Clans."
He spread his hands. "You have my attention."
"If you want our invasion corridor so much then I am inclined to let you choke on it. We could extract a high price from you, but with our supplies in your hands and many of our best warriors dead or captive we would not stop you."
Ulric nodded. The First Bear Guards had battered the Sixth Jaguar Dragoons into submission on Xinyang – and left Lincoln Osis in a coma he had yet to wake from - but the price had been high. Throw in the loss of garrison troops taken as bondsman and the casualties taken by Alpha, Delta and Rho Galaxies in the unsuccessful attempt to retake Alshain…
The Ghost Bears still in theory had a line of retreat along their corridor, although it was fairly notional between the Wolf gains followed by Clan Smoke Jaguar seizing Garstedt and four other worlds. Rimwards of Alshain though were a rich cluster of worlds between Rubigen and Baldur.
"Avoiding that price is worth some concessions on my part. I take it you wish to extract your remaining forces and return to the Home Worlds, quiaff?"
"Aff," Tseng admitted reluctantly. "Unfortunately with the jumpships and dropships you captured, we no longer have the lift capacity for our support personnel."
Ulric considered and then smiled thinly. "As it happens, Clan Snow Raven have several warships in our Occupation Zone, having escorted a convoy of our civilians from the Pentagon. My understanding is that they are currently bargaining for goods to carry back with them. I can find the resources to fill half of their holds, if in exchange they agree to use the rest to transport some of your personnel and equipment back to Arcadia."
"Do you expect thanks for this offer?"
"I am sure that if I declined to offer something of the kind you would offer the worlds to the Diamond Sharks and hope that I would be lured into a feud with them over the territory." He scratched his beard. "Not all of those we captured would find it easy to adapt to our ways, as much as they might be valuable in other ways. I will release half of our bondsmen to return to your Clan, to help you rebuild in the Home Worlds."
The Ghost Bear narrowed her eyes for a moment but then relaxed. "That, I will admit, is generous."
"Do not ruin my reputation for pragmatism, Khan Tseng."
"I accept your offer. It will take some weeks before we are ready to depart. I have ordered my forces to concentrate at Marawi and Mualang."
Ulric nodded. "I will arrange transportation at Clan Wolf's expense for those you cannot transport further from Marawi to Skallevoll where the Snow Ravens ships are located."
"That is acceptable. Be aware that with so many of our garrisons retreating you may have to reconquer several worlds we took recently." She sneered. "Also, the DCMS recently seized Shirotori while we were otherwise engaged in defending ourselves from your treachery. That is your problem now."
"Bargained well and done," agreed Ulric.
The hologram vanished and Ulric pulled up a new communications form. He filled out the fields quickly and then touched his intercom. "Anastasius."
The bondsman – once Frederick Steiner, then Anastasius Focht and now merely a possession of Clan Wolf – opened the door. "Khan Ulric?"
"I've sent a file to your desk. Forward it to Star Admiral Sukhanov on Skallevoll. Unless I misjudge her, she will jump at the chance to return to the Home Worlds with holds half-full of manufactured goods - even if they are intended for a civilian market - and an implicit favour owed by Clan Ghost Bear."
"I can think of several men who would have wanted to completely destroy the Ghost Bears."
"How many of those men prospered?" asked Ulric curiously.
"I suppose that few of them did prosper, in the end."
"That does not surprise me. The Ghost Bears are adversaries but in the Home Worlds they will help to stabilise the situation there. It will be only a matter of time before those Clans still in the Home Worlds feel that they could make a better job of invading than we have. The Ghost Bears will be living evidence amongst them of how difficult such an invasion can be. Return once you have sent that. I have some diplomatic correspondence to prepare."
"Diplomatic correspondence?" The one-eyed man left the room briefly and then returned. "You have a visitor, Khan Kerensky."
"Oh?"
Vlad Ward stalked in. "Khan Ulric."
"Star Colonel. My congratulations on your Wolf Hunters' recent performance."
The younger man nodded absently and then glared. "Khan, why are you not en route to the Home Worlds?"
"Why would I do that?"
"There is such a matter as the election of an ilKhan?"
Ulric smiled triumphantly. "Oh, have we been called to conclave to do that? I do not recall any such summons."
Vlad looked at him as if he had lost his senses. "But…"
"I blame Brandon Howell," added the Khan cheerfully. "As Loremaster of the Grand Council he should really have made the arrangements to summon the Khans once it became clear that Khan Osis had lost his Trial of Refusal. Perhaps he was distracted by arranging for the Smoke Jaguars to vote him in as their new saKhan. In any event, the martial code is quite clear. The Khans are under no obligation to embark for Strana Mechty until the summons is issued and reasonable travel time must be allowed for."
"Then… six months delay."
"Six months from when someone actually summons the Khans. And the longer it takes them to realise that, Vlad, the longer it will be before we have an ilKhan to answer to." Ulric looked out the window and pointed at the Wolf banner where the Ghost Bear (and previously the dragon of the Combine) had once flown. "I suspect that Leo Showers would have objected to the Ghost Bears surrendering their invasion corridor to us. I am certain that Elias Crichell will once he hears about it."
"The Ghost Bears have surrendered?"
"Indeed. I will be sending out formal notification to the Clan Council shortly. We will provide reasonable assistance in helping them withdraw to the Home Worlds and in return we'll gain considerable defensive depth along our flank."
"Not to mention retaking the lead in the advance on Terra."
"Vlad, you need to face the facts. Robin Steele was perfectly correct when she told us the invasion had failed. Resistance has stiffened to the point that we have no realistic hope of reaching Terra – Khan Tseng advised me that the Ghost Bears have even been pushed back off a world they had taken. We must focus on bringing Clan Wolf out of the debacle in the strongest possible position."
"We've come so far."
"Very nearly half the distance, but even combined all the invading Clans control barely ten percent of the Inner Sphere. It's time to dig in and consolidate. We have vastly more resources than we did before. A generation or two from now who knows what the situation may be? But for now we are surrounded by enemies – both rival Clans, the Great Houses of the Inner Sphere and even the population of the worlds we control."
"Then we will defeat them!" Vlad snapped angrily.
"Aff. And doing so will blood our warriors as no other Clan's touman will be. But not all enemies are defeated with violence. For now, the threats are uprisings on our worlds, counter-offensives by the Inner Sphere and the censure of the other Clans. The uprisings can be turned aside by bringing the people into the Clan fully – not only teaching them our ways but also learning their ways and taking up those of them that are of benefit to us."
"The Inner Sphere, for now, we can deter with a strong posture and polite – but firm – words. Let the other Clans fight them. They will lose because no Clan except ours came here prepared not just to invade but to conquer. But while they are faced by the Smoke Jaguars and Jade Falcons, the Federated Commonwealth and the Draconis Combine can be convinced to give us the time we need in order to build the strength to withstand them."
"That leaves the censure, when they are shamed and defeated, of our enemies on the Grand Council." Ulric gave Vlad a confident look. "And we Clans know the truth that the rest of humanity shrink from. Every decision we make is enforced – or thwarted – by violence. We will not only be the strongest of the Clans, we will be as strong as all of them combined. And that being the case, with warriors like you in the lead, we will triumph over them."
.o0o.
ComStar Compound, Hilton Head Island
North America, Terra
24 March 3052
Bruce Tjulander had been Precentor Martial for less than three weeks when he was executed by ROM guards.
"Incompetents! How can I do Blake's work when I am surrounded by incompetence of this scale!?" the Primus had shouted before giving the command.
It reminded Demona Aziz very much of the fate of Tjulander's predecessor, Margo Koivu, who had been executed for evident treachery behind the failure of Operation Revelation to secure Tharkad or New Avalon. Or even Sian.
As little as Aziz liked Precentor Martial Focht, she was unable to entirely blame him for failing to return from the Clan Occupation Zones. That assumed, of course, that he was free to do so - and that he had even received the recall message. HPG stations across Clan Occupation Zones had fallen silent and a few ComGuard units were trickling into Combine space telling stories of sudden and overwhelming assaults.
The Precentor for Atreus gestured for her aide, Cameron St Jamais, to collect the datapad that Tjulander had been carrying.
"Do not waste your time with that nonsense, Aziz." Waterly seemed to slump as she turned back towards the only other available member of the First Circuit. "The fool's claims of our losses are outrageous."
"Permit me to investigate for you, Primus. We must know how deep the rot runs, after all."
"Do as you will then. You are dismissed." The Primus gestured wearily towards the door.
"What do you make of it?" Aziz asked St Jamais as he examined the datapad.
"Nothing good." He thumbed the scroll control. "We should be grateful that the late Precentor Beresick brought his warships home. We can ill afford to lose two battlecruisers."
"What remains?"
"Besides the battlecruisers, we still have a troop cruiser – although it looks more like a pocket battleship – three cruisers, four frigates, seven destroyers and two corvettes. Some of those are still being upgraded but the six ships 'missing' after Hesperus II and whatever happened at Galax were almost thirty percent of our naval strength."
"There are still caches we haven't reactivated but those will take years to prepare. And the ground forces?"
"Counting the Terran Defence Force, before Operation Revelation we had thirteen Armies, totalling seventy-eight divisions. Right now we have thirteen divisions intact in the Draconis Combine, four badly depleted divisions in the Taurian Concordat – Tjulander ordered them to consolidate down to two divisions – sixteen intact divisions in the Free Worlds League and ten divisions here on Terra. Everything else is at best missing and realistically most or all of them are destroyed."
Aziz pursed her lips. "So we have forty-one remaining divisions – almost half the ComGuards has been wiped out in the course of Operation Revelation. Hmm. And around a third of them are currently inside the Free Worlds League – which makes it reasonably secure. After all, Thomas Marik was one of us for many years."
She remained lost in thought as they walked the rest of the way back to her office. "Cameron, how many of the divisions in the League were deployed as part of Operation Revelation?"
"The Seventy-Sixth and 143rd Divisions carried out the attack on Alarion – they don't appear to have seen heavy action there."
"No others?"
"Ah… no, the 386th Division was deployed from Sixth Army but the unit took heavy losses fighting the Wolf Dragoons and the survivors were used as replacements for losses in the other units there and withdrew to the Combine with them. Three divisions from Eighth Army attacked Hesperus II but…"
"Please, Cameron, I may not be a military expert but even I know that Hesperus II has never fallen. I take it those divisions are among the missing or dead?"
St Jamais nodded his confirmation.
"Well, the Word of Blake must be upheld." Aziz tapped her console. "I'll request permission to return to Atreus to shore up relations with Thomas Marik and interview the commanders of the Seventy-Sixth and 143rd Divisions. On the assumption that I may need expert military advice, see what arrangements would be needed for me to meet with them on New Olympia and for a staff detached from the Seventh Army to meet me there."
"New Olympia?"
"I think drawing attention to them by gathering on Atreus would be a mistake, Cameron. New Olympia is convenient and I believe we have a fairly major ComGuards presence there anyway. If we're going to support further operations we'll need to have everything in order."
And if we're not going to support the Primus, she mused inside the privacy of her own head, then ComStar will need a powerful patron to defend us from the Federated Commonwealth. Thomas Marik is the only House Lord not bled white facing the Clans and he's naturally sympathetic to us. If he's favourably inclined then it may be time to see how Theodore Kurita is feeling – with the rest of the First Circuit dead or missing the Primus has only one likely successor.
Then again, do I want to inherit the current mess? Perhaps it's time for a fresh start for our Order. History may look back on me as a second Conrad Toyama – if I succeed, of course.
.o0o.
Brzo, Tukkayid
Benjamin District, Draconis Combine
1 April 3052
"You have a Clan Wolf envoy on planet?" Tai-sa Bobby Bock – who was a samurai in the service of House Kurita, no matter how Lyran his name sounded – queried, wondering if he'd developed a hearing disorder. Hopefully not – any problems with one's ears usually had consequences for your ability to pilot a BattleMech.
The commander of the local militia bowed. "Indeed, Bock-sama. It is a very strange matter but all diplomatic forms were followed, so we felt it best to accept them provisionally until such time as we could report the matter to Buckminster."
"And he has caused no problems."
"Ah, no sir. She is a very intimidating woman but she has been… as polite as a gaijin might be expected to be."
"Show me to her." Bock wondered how intimidating a mere woman could be.
The available diplomatic quarters were merely second-rate – not unreasonable for a backwater farming world really. They were in the classic Japanese style and the Tai-sa had a moment of amusement, contemplating some savage Wolf Clanswoman trying to survive in civilised society.
They had entered without knocking and there was no immediate sign of an occupant. Bock was about to query this when he detected the sound of running water from the bathroom. Well, a diplomat of sorts and there were limits to how one should treat even gaijin women. "Announce me," he muttered.
The militiaman flushed. "Ah, Captain Fetladral! It is I, Michel de la Nancy. I have brought a senior officer of the DCMS to discuss your diplomatic mission."
The woman who emerged from the bathroom was soaking wet, although the towel she held was remedying that quickly enough. She was also completely nude and at least as large as both men combined, with a head of dark red hair. "That is Star Captain Fetladral, Michel. Must I remind you again?"
"Ah, I am very sorry, Star Captain. May I present Tai-sa Bock of the Nineteenth Galedon Regulars?"
Bock managed to bow without losing his composure. "I am informed you are a diplomatic envoy."
"Aff," the woman concurred, tossing the towel over a drying rack and starting to pull on a jumpsuit. "I bear a message from Khan Ulric Kerensky to Coordinator Theodore Kurita."
"You are aware that a state of war exists between your Clan and the Combine, with regard to your invasion of Lothan?"
"I am advised that the purpose of a diplomat is to resolve such matters without violence. I am a warrior of Clan Wolf – if you prefer violence than I am more than able to confront you on those terms."
"That would be a decision for more senior heads than mine," Bock admitted grudgingly. "My mission was to re-establish contact now that we control Shirotori and again have ready access to this world."
Fetladral smiled almost sweetly. "And yet Shirotori was a Federated Commonwealth world until the Ghost bears seized it. Do you expect no conflicts with House Davion over this matter?"
"That would also be a matter for more senior heads."
"I hope to meet some of these senior heads and possibly the people attached to them at some point." The woman was at least decently dressed now.
"Do you intend to deliver the message directly?" Bock calculated how long it would take the irregular jumpship traffic to reach New Samarkand. Given that the direct route was impossible, lying across the leading edge of the Smoke Jaguar and Diamond Shark occupied worlds, it would take quite some time.
"That will not be necessary if you have HPG access or wish to courier it yourselves. My message is somewhat confidential, but I am permitted to share it with Combine officials as necessary."
Bock nodded in understanding. "I believe I must request a verbal summary so I may decide to whom I should direct you."
"Logical. Khan Ulric Kerensky, with the approval of his Clan Council, advises Coordinator Theodore Kurita that Clan Ghost Bear has decided to withdraw from the Inner Sphere. Clan Wolf has received title to all worlds under the control of Clan Ghost Bear as of this decision."
"Our Clan has decided that we will no longer pursue the conquest of further worlds of the Inner Sphere at the expense of the Draconis Combine. In token of this we offer the Coordinator a treaty of peace between our states. As a sign of our sincerity in this matter, we are prepared to negotiate the return of certain worlds to the rule of the Draconis Combine."
"I must stress that Clan Wolf does not speak for Clan Smoke Jaguar, Clan Diamond Shark or for any other Clan. Nor do we offer assistance against our fellow Clans."
The samurai stared at her for a moment. "You hold at least two dozen Combine worlds."
"If I understand the historical summaries of the Succession Wars, practically all of our Occupation Zone has been under the control of House Kurita at some point in the last hundred years. Oddly, the majority of worlds were not conquered from the Combine however. Clearly the exact border is not an inviolable fact." Then she grinned. "And we are offering to return some. When I departed, Khan Ulric was discussing the return of worlds nearer to Terra than Rubigen."
"I think I had better refer this matter as high as I can. I will send an HPG message to Warlord Petroff on Benjamin. He can then directly communicate with the Coordinator. I don't presume to know what their reply will be, however I think it would be best you remain here until I receive instructions."
She made an annoyed noise. "As you prefer. This is quite a tedious place."
"At this precise moment I believe it is about as far from the centre of Combine affairs as it is possible to be – the fact that you, who might be the most important business in the Combine, are here is one of life's little ironies."
.o0o.
Manchester Drop Port, New Exford
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
3 April 3052
The sky was a tracery of autocannon fire and fighter exhausts as Kai fired off judicious blasts from Legendkiller's jump-pack, stabilising his descent. Around him the rest of the Eleventh Lyran Guards were doing much the same.
"Intel update," the staff officer safely above the fighting on a Twenty-Sixth Lyran Guards dropship informed them. "We've identified the unit below as the Second Falcon Jaegers. High probability that they were loading to resume the offensive. Watch out for other units of the Gyrfalcon Galaxy."
Kai realised the ground was closing in and fired off what was left of his jump-pack's fuel slowing himself to the point that Legendkiller hit the ground feet first with no more force than if he'd stumbled slightly. "Eyes open," he ordered and spotted a pair of Elemental points rushing between drop-port buildings.
His lasers lashed out, sending two of the armoured infantrymen tumbling, and his autocannon shells finished one off, although he tagged several of the others with incidental damage.
Gyrfalcon Galaxy were one of the original units deployed for the invasion. If they were at full strength, they should number seven complete Clusters – a nasty problem. And although the Jade Falcon spearhead units had been torn up fighting their way through the heavy garrisons on Esteros and Bountiful Harvest, the Gyrfalcons had been brought forward to take New Exford specifically because it hadn't been involved in that fighting.
"The Second Jaegers were commanded by Marthe Pryde," warned Diana as her Archer regrouped on Kai. "She has a reputation for ruthlessness."
"Do tell."
"She shot my genesire in the back to earn a higher rank in her Trial of Position."
Kai made a mental note to explain rhetorical questions to Diana again. "You're not going to go off on a rampage of revenge are you?"
"No. I have never met her and she may be dead."
The Elementals came back into view – at least Kai thought they were the same group – clinging to the sides of a Star of ungainly looking medium 'Mechs that didn't match up to anything in the warbook. Fast movers, and although they had the same chassis, armament varied widely, suggesting that they were OmniMechs.
"Seen them before?"
"Neg." One of the 'Mechs opened fire on Diana with arm-mounted LRM launchers. She dodged one of the missile flights but the second caused some surface damage to her armour. Popping the covers on her launchers she returned fire with half-again as many missiles. The 'Mech tried to avoid her shots with a sudden burst of speed but the solid flat permacrete of the road wasn't ideal for grip and it lost its feet, falling backwards and crushing one of the Elementals clinging to its back. More than half Diana's LRMs scored hits, punching craters into its armour but not penetrating. "There were rumours of new OmniMechs in development but none were ready for deployment when I left the Home Worlds."
"Looks like someone finished the job."
Kai singled out his own target, one sporting a mix of gun barrels in the arms and missile launchers in the shoulders. The rest of Able Company was grouping on their position, so the other three Jade Falcons weren't being ignored. Holding one of Legendkiller's large lasers in reserve he punched shots into the right side of the 'Mech, above and below the hips.
Although the armour ruptured over the 'Mech's LRM launcher, it didn't seem to have damaged the weapon since the Jade Falcon replied with every weapon he had. Three lasers bit into the armour of Kai's right arm and right leg, while LRMs pounded the centre chest and a couple of SRMs found targets on his knee. He shook his head as he saw the infra-red signature of the 'Mech soar – the MechWarrior had pushed himself into the red zone with that Alpha strike.
"If you can't watch your heat you shouldn't be in the cockpit," he observed on the general band, not really expecting a verbal reply. On the other hand, Steel Vipers would sometimes lose their heads at even mild taunting.
The 'Mech cut its lasers and fired again with its missiles while Kai drew a bead. "Neg, falconer, I am worthy!" the young voice called out as the missiles went low and did only minor damage to Legendkiller's left leg with the LRMs – the SRMs went entirely wild.
Kai raked the 'Mech with his autocannon and was gratified to see the right side erupt in fire as LRM storage blew up. "Falconer?"
"Training officers in sibkos." Diana had caught her target with another salvo of LRMs, ripping away more of its armour, and now she was sparing her ammunition and picking at weak-spots with her lasers. "That self-proclaimed warrior must be barely out of training."
A PPC shot slashed out of nowhere and tore through the armour on the shoulder of Diana's Archer, almost wrecking the joint. "Perhaps you want more formidable opposition, spheroid," suggested a woman's voice.
The source of the PPC shot, a Summoner OmniMech with scorched armour, landed next to the Griffin that filled out Kai's command lance and hammered its armour with autocannon and LRMs at point-blank range.
The young MechWarrior – probably no more experienced than the Jade Falcons they had been engaging – returned fire but his PPC shot went wild and only four LRMs scored.
Looks like whoever this is doesn't care about zellbrigen, Kai noted. Another Summoner, two Hellbringers and a Nova followed the heavy Clan OmniMech into the skirmish, one of several spreading across the drop port as the rest of Kai's command engaged the Jade Falcons. Numbers of 'Mechs were about even but the tangle of buildings for administration and storage were an ideal hunting ground for the Elemental battle suits.
"Eleventh Actual, we need our tanks," he reported.
"I'm shepherding them down right now," Trevana assured him. "Two minutes."
Kai kicked his original target in the leg and saw the 'Mech fall. Dropping arms he drilled fire into what was left of the torso. "Stay down, kid."
The one surviving Elemental that had been riding the 'Mech leapt up onto Kai's Rifleman. He ignored it, knowing his arms weren't suited to dealing with something that nimble and besides, Helen had his back.
Sure enough, the Hunchback – Double-O had requested and been assigned another of the design rather than anything newer - spun and fired medium lasers, two pulverising armour on the Elemental and the third going astray. Then the 'Mech's autocannon fired and cluster rounds finished the Elemental, along with a few bits of Legendkiller's armour.
Another salvo finished off the Jade Falcon but it also gave time for the new arrivals to drop the Griffin and push towards Kai in a rough wedge. Although caught in a crossfire between the Battle and Strike lances (the Recon Lance had no place in proximity to the heavies), they seemed intent on pressing in on Kai.
It must be the ghost, he decided. This paint scheme will get me killed!
"You are the one who slew our ilKhan," challenged the Summoner's pilot. "Jaegers! Target the Rifleman and avenge Leo Showers."
Diana backed up, blocking part of the incoming fire, but Kai had to struggle to stay upright as tons of armour were blasted away.
The Summoner seemed to have no such issues, charging closer through a veritable cloud of LRMs from Diana and the lasers and autocannon of Helen's Hunchback and Legendkiller.
The left arm of Legendkiller blew apart as the ammo bin there was penetrated.
Kai thought he'd bitten his tongue but then a ping on his radar alerted him to new arrivals.
"Able Company, back a hundred metres!" he shouted, backpedalling Legendkiller.
The other 'MechWarriors obeyed and the Jade Falcons, now reduced to only six 'Mechs, pressed after them, still fixating on firing into Kai.
Then four hundred ton pallets crashed down amongst and in one case on top of the 'Mechs, thrusters straining to soften the collisions with the ground. That didn't save the unlucky Nova that was landed on, although its wreck did do considerable damage to the tracks of the Demolisher tank inside the pallet.
The Demolisher's turret swung sharply and it discharged both gauss rifles squarely into the rear of one of the still unidentified medium OmniMechs, tearing both sides of the chest apart.
The enemy leader was no more fortunate. One pallet had landed directly behind her and the sides fell away to reveal a Sturmfeur with its turret locked into a forward position for the drop. This brought all four LRM launchers to bear directly on the Summoner's back and flight after flight of LRMs streamed out of them to crash against the shoulders and upper back of the 'Mech.
More than a few of the missiles found the domed cockpit on the right shoulder and Kai saw it filled with fire from behind.
Trevana's factory-fresh Atlas crashed down through the roof of a nearby building, the jump-pack failing only a few metres above the roof. A moment later the Colonel kicked his way out of the side of the hanger, the massive assault 'Mech apparently unfazed by the awkward landing and adding to the crossfire that tore the remaining Jade Falcons apart.
"What's up?" Trevana enquired.
"Thanks for the cavalry," Kai answered, tracking the pallets of more tanks – the Eleventh Lyran Guards had forty-eight heavy tanks and forty-eight hover tanks assigned – coming down all over the spaceport. "Looks like Baker Company need help securing the hangers. Able Company, form on me!"
Trevana chuckled. "Same old same old, I see. Panzers, form up on the runways. We need those clear for the RCTs to bring in their dropships and unload the heavy equipment."
A/N: In response to the Guest review, the FCN's warship strength is made up of ships from three source. Firstly the six Wolf Dragoons warships, secondly nine hulls salvaged from wrecks dating back to the early Succession Wars or before (not all back in service) and finally four newly constructed hulls. Not all of these survived Operation Revelation.