Pegasus Base, Tillerbee Jungle
Marduk
Draconis March
Federated Suns
September 15, 3028
John rolled over underneath the light blanket, trying to avoid the light streaming in through the translucent sides of his tent. Even as he came awake, he realized how tired he still was. Three days of forced movements through the jungle, avoiding the Combine forces, was exacting a heavy price on the soldiers and equipment of the training battalion.
When the dropships had come burning through the atmosphere, Major Chiraq had mobilized his entire command. Computer estimates were predicting at least a regiment of 'mechs coming down onto the planet, with supporting armor, infantry and aerospace assets. More than enough to take the Federated Suns forces garrisoned at Babylon Base.
As the first Combine dropship burst through the hastily thrown together fighter screen, the Marduk Training Battalion had fled Babylon base, taking every shred of equipment they could load onto their transports. Techs and astechs were reported to Norse BattleMech Works, commandeering every Griffin and Wolverine chassis that was even close to finished. Those that were immobile were swiftly stripped by Norse's own techs, and the spare parts were turned over to the training battalion to bolster their reserves.
Infantry reported to the armories, emptying them as swiftly as they could. While the Kuritan 'mechs were grounding well north of the city, the training battalion was beginning to funnel south, deeper into the Tillerbee Jungle.
Scuttling charges were set, and as the last hovercraft raced through the streets of New Pontiac, explosions ripped through the remaining weapons storehouses. The Combine soldiers were lucky to find an unbent dinner knife in the wreckage.
Word slowly filtered outward from New Pontiac to the Davion forces. The Combine troops were identified as the 2nd Amphigean Light Assault Group. The unit was not dissimilar to the Tenth Deneb Light Cavalry - comprised mostly of light and medium battlemechs, the unit seemed to favor quick strike raids that attempted to concentrate damage on one or two targets in the hope taking them out.
As John shrugged out from beneath the blanket, he stretched slowly. His hand settled on the ballistic cloth of the cooling vest lying nearby. The mesh inside of it was still wet from yesterdays run. In fact, everything in the tent was a little damp.
~Such are the pleasures of living in the jungle,~ John told himself, grabbing the vest as he stumbled forth from the tent. He shrugged the vest on over the cooling undershirt he wore, and moved slowly toward the group of people gathered around the fire pit in the center of the camp.
The sounds and smells of the jungle were damped by those of a military camp in the 31st century. The scent of damp earth was replaced by that of diesel fuel and lubricant, along with the pungent tang of coolant. The sizzle of arc welders and the sounds of heavy machinery filled the air.
The feeling around the fire, however, was gravely subdued. John look, and found Jackson and Kathy seated around the circle, talking quietly with several of the people from Bravo Company.
"Morning, guys," John said, sitting crosslegged on the ground next to them.
"Morning, John" Kathy said, picking up the coffee urn near the fire and pouring him a cup. John took it gratefully, not for the warmth, but for the jolt of caffeine it sent through his system.
"Where's the Leftenant?"
"Rand went out on dawn patrol this morning," Kathy answered, leaning back against a log. She looked more tired than the rest of them. John knew she was probably half asleep, but that was normal for her. During their training, when they had down time, Kathy was one of the rare few who developed the ability to almost completely shut herself down to rest. Given the high energy state she normally possessed, John had always figured that it was the way her life was balanced. If they had to get into action, she'd be more alert than the rest of them, and that had been a life saver more than once in training.
"Doesn't he ever sleep?" John asked, sipping from his mug. Rand had been up late with John last night, trying to work out a kink in Rand's Enforcer. The left foot actuator as sticking a bit, and there just weren't enough Techs to work on all the Battalion's 'mechs at once.
"He said he wanted to make sure the repairs complete," Quin said. The big man reached over and tugged Kathy close. She rested her head on his shoulder, eyelids drooping as she dozed. Quinn's hand stroked her arm soothingly.
John glanced around the camp, looking at the 'mechs standing guard, and those farther toward the center of camp. His Valkyrie was among this second group. Waves of heat washed over the machine, bleeding slowly from the heat sinks within the 'mech. Though the Valk's controls were locked, the fusion reactor was still online, drastically lowering the startup time if the 'mech should be needed quickly.
The crunch of booted feet running through the undergrowth caught John's attention. Looking up, he saw a young woman approaching, her uniform hanging loosely on her shoulders.
"Sir," she said, saluting John. John stood and returned the salute, all feelings of tiredness draining from his body as he rose. Beside him, Kathy stirred as Jackson gently shook her.
"Go ahead, Corporal," Hawk said, tossing the remnants of his coffee aside. He didn't think he'd be needing any more of it today.
"Sir, Leftenant Taylor has just reported a lance of Combine 'mechs working their way toward our position. Major Chiraq has ordered your lance to go back him up and take them out."
John grinned. Apparently, Chiraq had decided to start hitting back. ~About time~, John told himself. Two days was two days too long.
Glancing at Jackson and Kathy, John waved them forward.
"You heard the lady. Let's go hunt some snakes!"
The Corporal smiled as the three Mechwarriors bounded for their 'mechs. She couldn't help thinking that the Combine was about to get a bloody nose.
Marduk
Draconis March
Federated Suns
September 15, 3028
John rolled over underneath the light blanket, trying to avoid the light streaming in through the translucent sides of his tent. Even as he came awake, he realized how tired he still was. Three days of forced movements through the jungle, avoiding the Combine forces, was exacting a heavy price on the soldiers and equipment of the training battalion.
When the dropships had come burning through the atmosphere, Major Chiraq had mobilized his entire command. Computer estimates were predicting at least a regiment of 'mechs coming down onto the planet, with supporting armor, infantry and aerospace assets. More than enough to take the Federated Suns forces garrisoned at Babylon Base.
As the first Combine dropship burst through the hastily thrown together fighter screen, the Marduk Training Battalion had fled Babylon base, taking every shred of equipment they could load onto their transports. Techs and astechs were reported to Norse BattleMech Works, commandeering every Griffin and Wolverine chassis that was even close to finished. Those that were immobile were swiftly stripped by Norse's own techs, and the spare parts were turned over to the training battalion to bolster their reserves.
Infantry reported to the armories, emptying them as swiftly as they could. While the Kuritan 'mechs were grounding well north of the city, the training battalion was beginning to funnel south, deeper into the Tillerbee Jungle.
Scuttling charges were set, and as the last hovercraft raced through the streets of New Pontiac, explosions ripped through the remaining weapons storehouses. The Combine soldiers were lucky to find an unbent dinner knife in the wreckage.
Word slowly filtered outward from New Pontiac to the Davion forces. The Combine troops were identified as the 2nd Amphigean Light Assault Group. The unit was not dissimilar to the Tenth Deneb Light Cavalry - comprised mostly of light and medium battlemechs, the unit seemed to favor quick strike raids that attempted to concentrate damage on one or two targets in the hope taking them out.
As John shrugged out from beneath the blanket, he stretched slowly. His hand settled on the ballistic cloth of the cooling vest lying nearby. The mesh inside of it was still wet from yesterdays run. In fact, everything in the tent was a little damp.
~Such are the pleasures of living in the jungle,~ John told himself, grabbing the vest as he stumbled forth from the tent. He shrugged the vest on over the cooling undershirt he wore, and moved slowly toward the group of people gathered around the fire pit in the center of the camp.
The sounds and smells of the jungle were damped by those of a military camp in the 31st century. The scent of damp earth was replaced by that of diesel fuel and lubricant, along with the pungent tang of coolant. The sizzle of arc welders and the sounds of heavy machinery filled the air.
The feeling around the fire, however, was gravely subdued. John look, and found Jackson and Kathy seated around the circle, talking quietly with several of the people from Bravo Company.
"Morning, guys," John said, sitting crosslegged on the ground next to them.
"Morning, John" Kathy said, picking up the coffee urn near the fire and pouring him a cup. John took it gratefully, not for the warmth, but for the jolt of caffeine it sent through his system.
"Where's the Leftenant?"
"Rand went out on dawn patrol this morning," Kathy answered, leaning back against a log. She looked more tired than the rest of them. John knew she was probably half asleep, but that was normal for her. During their training, when they had down time, Kathy was one of the rare few who developed the ability to almost completely shut herself down to rest. Given the high energy state she normally possessed, John had always figured that it was the way her life was balanced. If they had to get into action, she'd be more alert than the rest of them, and that had been a life saver more than once in training.
"Doesn't he ever sleep?" John asked, sipping from his mug. Rand had been up late with John last night, trying to work out a kink in Rand's Enforcer. The left foot actuator as sticking a bit, and there just weren't enough Techs to work on all the Battalion's 'mechs at once.
"He said he wanted to make sure the repairs complete," Quin said. The big man reached over and tugged Kathy close. She rested her head on his shoulder, eyelids drooping as she dozed. Quinn's hand stroked her arm soothingly.
John glanced around the camp, looking at the 'mechs standing guard, and those farther toward the center of camp. His Valkyrie was among this second group. Waves of heat washed over the machine, bleeding slowly from the heat sinks within the 'mech. Though the Valk's controls were locked, the fusion reactor was still online, drastically lowering the startup time if the 'mech should be needed quickly.
The crunch of booted feet running through the undergrowth caught John's attention. Looking up, he saw a young woman approaching, her uniform hanging loosely on her shoulders.
"Sir," she said, saluting John. John stood and returned the salute, all feelings of tiredness draining from his body as he rose. Beside him, Kathy stirred as Jackson gently shook her.
"Go ahead, Corporal," Hawk said, tossing the remnants of his coffee aside. He didn't think he'd be needing any more of it today.
"Sir, Leftenant Taylor has just reported a lance of Combine 'mechs working their way toward our position. Major Chiraq has ordered your lance to go back him up and take them out."
John grinned. Apparently, Chiraq had decided to start hitting back. ~About time~, John told himself. Two days was two days too long.
Glancing at Jackson and Kathy, John waved them forward.
"You heard the lady. Let's go hunt some snakes!"
The Corporal smiled as the three Mechwarriors bounded for their 'mechs. She couldn't help thinking that the Combine was about to get a bloody nose.