The Solaris Irregulars
Part 6: Dam Busters

Duvic Palatine
Epsilon Eridani
Chaos March

Kelly still didn't understand Cairo's plan, but he had agreed to go along with it regardless. The three Mech's left from his lance led the Solaris Irregulars through a mountain pass that lead to the Fitzgerald Hydro-electric plant. The plant was built into a dam that blocked a fast-flowing river, and used the pent up energy to generate electricity.

They Mech convoy rounded the last bend and the Fitzgerald plant came into sight. Cairo ordered Akira Takayama to position his Raven where it would be able to get a clear signal. The Heavy and Assault lances moved off to attack the defenders, while the Scout lance and the CSVB held their ground, ready to act as reinforcements if needed, and to warn of reinforcements.

Kelly watched in wonder as the Irregulars tore the defending Duvic and Word of Blake forces to pieces. He watched as the Shadow Hawk he knew to be piloted by Sinead Cairo blasted a TMP-3M Tempest to scrap, then moved on to help her husband finish off a damaged WoB ALB-3U Albatross. The Clan weapons the Irregulars carried mad short work of the older Duvic Mech's, and gave them the edge on the Word of Blake Mech's.

The only casualty was Hawk-that-Settles, his Avatar OmniMech damaged badly by a pair of Gauss Slugs from a Word of Blake MR-V2 Cerberus. The assault Mech made the mistake of falling under the guns of René Alphonse's Nightstar and Vassili Dante's Banshee, and its pilot died a quick death.

Kelly watched as on of the Elementals from the scout lance placed a large metal object at the base of the dam. Cairo's voice came over the radio "Ok Akira; let it rip."

"This is Highball to Lancaster: commence your run." The Raven pilot's voice came over the radio.

"Rodger that Highball, Lancaster is three-minuets out and counting." An unfamiliar came over the radio

The link broke, and Cairo's voice came over the radio "Ok people, lets get out of dodge before this all goes down." The Irregulars pulled back to the mountain pass, followed closely by the CSVB Mech: the last thing they wanted was to be caught this far into enemy territory on their own.

High above the retreating Mech's, Star-Commodore Ivan Leroux sat on the bridge of the Spirit Sight "Helm, bring us round into a firing position. Guns, lock onto the beacon and prepare to fire."

Both orders where met with a quick "Aye, aye Sir!" Slowly, the Corvette turned to that its nose faced the planet. The targeting sights on the main screen changed from red to gold, and Leroux gave to order to fire.

Kelly watched as the Fitzgerald plant was ripped apart by rounds from the Spirit Sight's NAC/40. The river burst through the ruptured dam and flowed to the sea, flowing through the main Word of Blake camp, destroying it totally.

Cairo turned his Orion to leave, but turned it back to Kelly "Tell them the Solaris Irregulars where here."

"I somehow think they know!" Kelly laughed.

TBC