Huntress, August IV, 3089...
The sky rippled open, dropping 'mechs like malevolent rain over the Legation. "Here they come." Tai-i Emiko Warren said, pulling the hatch on her Schiltron artillery tank closed.
Outside, the last company of 'mechs-survivors from the Regimental relief force sent almost twenty years ago, formed up. Her driver looked up at her, and wiped grime from his face with a Free-Worlds League cap. "Who are they?" he asked. Emiko shrugged, "does it matter? we are stranded here, they know this. I think these particular enemies are something called 'Coyotes', but they might be Jade Falcons... lots of heavy systems out there." She settled down, and watched her call-board for firing orders.
Outside, Tai-Sa Fujiko Falkenberg was rallying the remnants of the Garrison. Once more unto the breach, dear friends... Her aging, pre-Clan War Grand Dragon was already reading overheat, and her left arm actuators were frozen. "Second Lance, Form up, cover the infantry!" she snapped into the comm systems. The Clanners weren't having many difficulties-they had a working logistical base and fresh bodies. Today, they even called ahead, and offered Batchall, just like the old days... she thought, Not that I was even alive in those 'old days'... but some of her men were. "Arty, this is Regiment, I want ripple fire along these coordinates..."
Star Captain Jonas Schmitt watched as his left flank exploded in a fury of artillery strikes. Nice grouping... he thought, and waved the protomech point forward to drive a hole through the Spheroid right. They're getting desperate, but those gunners are very good... "Bravo Star, engage their armour company, I want those tankers broken." He then led his Command star forward, raining destruction from the ample ammunition bays of five Blood Kite battlemechs.
Go-Cho Li Trung grabbed the satchel charges, and waved his men-all three of them, forward against the advancing battlemechs. Each man had his target, and if they had two more, they would have a man for each of the enemy's 'mechs. Yes, only one-twentieth what we would need to defeat them... he pushed the thought out of his mind...
The Batteries fired their third salvo, and went silent- there simply were no more rounds for the launchers.
Emiko poked her head up out of her hatch, after informing the Tai-sa.
If we hadn't stripped the engines to repair the 'mechs, we could join the fight... then again, if we had one tenth the forces we had when we landed... she shook it off-the artillery was finished, as was the Garrison- she watched as missiles ate the Tai-Sa's mech, finishing the last of the garrison's battlemechs with ease.
Three hunched, hulking, shapes slowly worked their way through the wreckage. Her radio crackled. "Surrender." a voice said.
Emiko thought hard before answering. "I lack that authority-the Tai-sa is in command." she said.
"Your Tai-Sa failed to eject before her 'mech was destroyed, you are the remaining officer, surrender."
she looked down into the track, at her driver.
"No." She drew her sword, and stood on the artillery vehicle, "I've been here for twenty years, we have fought off every single attempt to absorb or destroy us-one day, the Star League, or the Combine, will come back for us."
the other artillery crewmen came out of their vehicles, carbines, wrenches, and even vibroblades, and they rushed the advancing 'mechs.
The dying was glorious.
The sky rippled open, dropping 'mechs like malevolent rain over the Legation. "Here they come." Tai-i Emiko Warren said, pulling the hatch on her Schiltron artillery tank closed.
Outside, the last company of 'mechs-survivors from the Regimental relief force sent almost twenty years ago, formed up. Her driver looked up at her, and wiped grime from his face with a Free-Worlds League cap. "Who are they?" he asked. Emiko shrugged, "does it matter? we are stranded here, they know this. I think these particular enemies are something called 'Coyotes', but they might be Jade Falcons... lots of heavy systems out there." She settled down, and watched her call-board for firing orders.
Outside, Tai-Sa Fujiko Falkenberg was rallying the remnants of the Garrison. Once more unto the breach, dear friends... Her aging, pre-Clan War Grand Dragon was already reading overheat, and her left arm actuators were frozen. "Second Lance, Form up, cover the infantry!" she snapped into the comm systems. The Clanners weren't having many difficulties-they had a working logistical base and fresh bodies. Today, they even called ahead, and offered Batchall, just like the old days... she thought, Not that I was even alive in those 'old days'... but some of her men were. "Arty, this is Regiment, I want ripple fire along these coordinates..."
Star Captain Jonas Schmitt watched as his left flank exploded in a fury of artillery strikes. Nice grouping... he thought, and waved the protomech point forward to drive a hole through the Spheroid right. They're getting desperate, but those gunners are very good... "Bravo Star, engage their armour company, I want those tankers broken." He then led his Command star forward, raining destruction from the ample ammunition bays of five Blood Kite battlemechs.
Go-Cho Li Trung grabbed the satchel charges, and waved his men-all three of them, forward against the advancing battlemechs. Each man had his target, and if they had two more, they would have a man for each of the enemy's 'mechs. Yes, only one-twentieth what we would need to defeat them... he pushed the thought out of his mind...
The Batteries fired their third salvo, and went silent- there simply were no more rounds for the launchers.
Emiko poked her head up out of her hatch, after informing the Tai-sa.
If we hadn't stripped the engines to repair the 'mechs, we could join the fight... then again, if we had one tenth the forces we had when we landed... she shook it off-the artillery was finished, as was the Garrison- she watched as missiles ate the Tai-Sa's mech, finishing the last of the garrison's battlemechs with ease.
Three hunched, hulking, shapes slowly worked their way through the wreckage. Her radio crackled. "Surrender." a voice said.
Emiko thought hard before answering. "I lack that authority-the Tai-sa is in command." she said.
"Your Tai-Sa failed to eject before her 'mech was destroyed, you are the remaining officer, surrender."
she looked down into the track, at her driver.
"No." She drew her sword, and stood on the artillery vehicle, "I've been here for twenty years, we have fought off every single attempt to absorb or destroy us-one day, the Star League, or the Combine, will come back for us."
the other artillery crewmen came out of their vehicles, carbines, wrenches, and even vibroblades, and they rushed the advancing 'mechs.
The dying was glorious.