"They are not going to expect this one" Kier Pershaw spoke up looking
at the star of DRG-1N Dragons to be used in the assault on the Combine
world of Shirotori, a small planet two jumps away from Tukayyid. This was
a large scale planetside assault in attempt to deal a significant moral
blow to Kurita forces throughout the galaxy and to assert Falcon supremacy.
The goal Endo Pryde's star was to use one of the most popular battlemech
designs in the DCMS to show the Dragon that they were inferior to the Clans
not only technologically, but skillfully as well. Endo had full command of
the cluster that was making the assault on Shirotori and hopefully the DCMS
forces would abandon the planet for the Falcons to take easily, however the
cluster could easily "mop up" the remaining DCMS without reinforcements. If
the Draconis Combine wanted the world badly enough they would supply
reinforcements. The reinforcements however would be easily destroyed by
the Conqueror Battlecruiser that had brought them here. A Fen Huang class
Cruiser would provide the rest of the dropships for the invasion and
additional fire support for the Conqueror in case of a counterattack. This
would strike the heart of the Draconis Combine and provide a significant
moral advantage for the Jade Falcons in the battles to come.
"Two strike trinaries will be descending from the Final Glory in two hours. The other three trinaries will be on alert status if you are needed. Mercer class dropships will be used for launch. One star per trinary will have to wait for the dropship's return in order to prepare. We are performing a hot orbital drop to maximize surprise although even before you enter the atmosphere, you will be noticed. Go in with guns blazing and do not worry about stealth. My star will be the first off of the dropsip. Questions?" No hands. "Excellent, now gear up and be ready for your launch!"
"Five.four.three.two.one.DROP" came the command over the radio. The five pods of Endo's star were jettisoned simultaneously from the Mercer class and started their descent towards the surface of Shriotori. In battle he would only have to exercise control over his star or at most his trinary, so he did not need to contemplate tactics now, he just needed to worry about his individual combat skills. The capitol city of Shirotori was protected by five battlemech lances. They were not elite, but had seen their fair share of combat. Brace for impact! The drop pod hit the surface with a loud smash. The sides of the cocoon fell away and Endo Immediately moved his Dragon to the predetermined rally point. The sixty ton mech moved swiftly over the rough terrain. The rest of his star was at the rally point when he arrived. "Alpha Star, we will attack the west side of the city. All four enemy lances are out on the plains outside the city, we will destroy them first. NOW MOVE!" Almost at once all five of the Dragons lurched forward and plodded towards the target zone. The first mech that could be seen was an Akuma, which weighed a massive ninety tons. It was currently in a shoot off with a Turkina. He fired his LRM 10 and AC/5. The missiles and slug found their mark in the Akuma's Right shoulder and torso. The Akuma took little notice, intent on finishing of the heavier Turkina. Endo kept his mech in a full run and fired his medium laser at the Akuma the laser hit the Akuma in the right torso and melted armor there. He then fired is autocannon. The slug found its way into the side of the Akuma's head. This threw off the pilot's aim and the PPC shot intended for the Turkina flew off into the sky. The Akuma's pilot could no longer ignore Endo. He turned his torso and fired a snapshot from his LB 10- X autocannon. The submunitions plinked off of the armor in Endo's Dragon's chest. Here the Turkina seized this opportunity and fired both of his LRM 15s into the weakened right torso of the Akuma. It was now up to Endo to finish the job. He fired all his forward weapons into the now exposed internal structure of the Akuma's Center torso. The Endo Steel there simply was blown away. The Akuma fell to the ground, defeated. The next target Endo chose to attack was a smaller Chameleon. Endo fired his AC/5 at his new target and hit it full on the chest. The Chameleon returned fire with his large laser. The laser struck Endo's Dragon in the left torso and melted a large portion of the armor located there. Endo turned and walked his mech to the right while still keeping his torso centered on the opposing Chameleon. Endo Triggered his LRM 10 and AC/5. The LRMs hit the center torso where the autocannon had landed before and the second autocannon round smashed into the Chameleon's internal structure and the impact threw the mech to its left. A final shot from Endo's Medium laser melted the internal structure and the chameleon fired one more shot from one of its medium lasers before being sent to the ground. The last target still alive was an Awesome. It had been heavily damaged in the fight and had just taken down a Vapor Eagle. The Awesome shot off one of its PPCs at Endo. The Shot struck him in his left leg and slowed his mech down significantly. Then an autocannon round came from the Awesome's right and impacted in its arm actuator, rendering the PPC there useless. Endo seized the opportunity. He squeezed off a shot from his medium laser. The laser hit the Awesome's right knee and the behemoth smashed into the ground. Then Endo fired his LRMs at the crippled mech's back while it was laying on the ground. A lance of laser light then struck the awesome in the back right before his missiles hit. The LRMs managed to punch through the rear armor of the Awesome and sent its fusion core critical. The Awesome disappeared in a blinding flash of white light. Endo looked to see where the shots that had helped him destroy the Awesome came from and he saw another Dragon standing about two hundred meters to the left of the Awesome. It was Kier! One of his star! "Alpha and Bravo Trinaries, status report!" he called over the radio and one by one each of the mechs in the six stars that made up the assault reported in. only three were lost in the combat. They now had control of the city.
The moral aspect of the war worked as planned. Once word of the guards of he capitol city reached the rest of the units, most were ordered to pull off of Shirotori. The DCMS would not let this stay, however. They were most likely planning a counterattack, they just ordered the units to fall back because they did not have the amount of forces to break the Falcon's hold on the capitol. Their time here was not over yet. They still had a lot more to worry about, but for now they would bask in their moment of victory.
"Two strike trinaries will be descending from the Final Glory in two hours. The other three trinaries will be on alert status if you are needed. Mercer class dropships will be used for launch. One star per trinary will have to wait for the dropship's return in order to prepare. We are performing a hot orbital drop to maximize surprise although even before you enter the atmosphere, you will be noticed. Go in with guns blazing and do not worry about stealth. My star will be the first off of the dropsip. Questions?" No hands. "Excellent, now gear up and be ready for your launch!"
"Five.four.three.two.one.DROP" came the command over the radio. The five pods of Endo's star were jettisoned simultaneously from the Mercer class and started their descent towards the surface of Shriotori. In battle he would only have to exercise control over his star or at most his trinary, so he did not need to contemplate tactics now, he just needed to worry about his individual combat skills. The capitol city of Shirotori was protected by five battlemech lances. They were not elite, but had seen their fair share of combat. Brace for impact! The drop pod hit the surface with a loud smash. The sides of the cocoon fell away and Endo Immediately moved his Dragon to the predetermined rally point. The sixty ton mech moved swiftly over the rough terrain. The rest of his star was at the rally point when he arrived. "Alpha Star, we will attack the west side of the city. All four enemy lances are out on the plains outside the city, we will destroy them first. NOW MOVE!" Almost at once all five of the Dragons lurched forward and plodded towards the target zone. The first mech that could be seen was an Akuma, which weighed a massive ninety tons. It was currently in a shoot off with a Turkina. He fired his LRM 10 and AC/5. The missiles and slug found their mark in the Akuma's Right shoulder and torso. The Akuma took little notice, intent on finishing of the heavier Turkina. Endo kept his mech in a full run and fired his medium laser at the Akuma the laser hit the Akuma in the right torso and melted armor there. He then fired is autocannon. The slug found its way into the side of the Akuma's head. This threw off the pilot's aim and the PPC shot intended for the Turkina flew off into the sky. The Akuma's pilot could no longer ignore Endo. He turned his torso and fired a snapshot from his LB 10- X autocannon. The submunitions plinked off of the armor in Endo's Dragon's chest. Here the Turkina seized this opportunity and fired both of his LRM 15s into the weakened right torso of the Akuma. It was now up to Endo to finish the job. He fired all his forward weapons into the now exposed internal structure of the Akuma's Center torso. The Endo Steel there simply was blown away. The Akuma fell to the ground, defeated. The next target Endo chose to attack was a smaller Chameleon. Endo fired his AC/5 at his new target and hit it full on the chest. The Chameleon returned fire with his large laser. The laser struck Endo's Dragon in the left torso and melted a large portion of the armor located there. Endo turned and walked his mech to the right while still keeping his torso centered on the opposing Chameleon. Endo Triggered his LRM 10 and AC/5. The LRMs hit the center torso where the autocannon had landed before and the second autocannon round smashed into the Chameleon's internal structure and the impact threw the mech to its left. A final shot from Endo's Medium laser melted the internal structure and the chameleon fired one more shot from one of its medium lasers before being sent to the ground. The last target still alive was an Awesome. It had been heavily damaged in the fight and had just taken down a Vapor Eagle. The Awesome shot off one of its PPCs at Endo. The Shot struck him in his left leg and slowed his mech down significantly. Then an autocannon round came from the Awesome's right and impacted in its arm actuator, rendering the PPC there useless. Endo seized the opportunity. He squeezed off a shot from his medium laser. The laser hit the Awesome's right knee and the behemoth smashed into the ground. Then Endo fired his LRMs at the crippled mech's back while it was laying on the ground. A lance of laser light then struck the awesome in the back right before his missiles hit. The LRMs managed to punch through the rear armor of the Awesome and sent its fusion core critical. The Awesome disappeared in a blinding flash of white light. Endo looked to see where the shots that had helped him destroy the Awesome came from and he saw another Dragon standing about two hundred meters to the left of the Awesome. It was Kier! One of his star! "Alpha and Bravo Trinaries, status report!" he called over the radio and one by one each of the mechs in the six stars that made up the assault reported in. only three were lost in the combat. They now had control of the city.
The moral aspect of the war worked as planned. Once word of the guards of he capitol city reached the rest of the units, most were ordered to pull off of Shirotori. The DCMS would not let this stay, however. They were most likely planning a counterattack, they just ordered the units to fall back because they did not have the amount of forces to break the Falcon's hold on the capitol. Their time here was not over yet. They still had a lot more to worry about, but for now they would bask in their moment of victory.