The Cairo Saga, Book 3: Legacies of War
Chapter 2: Unfinished business
Tukayyid City
Tukayyid
Free Rasalhague Republic
Cairo was in a bad mood as he walked across the tarmac towards the 4x4 that carried Colonel McKinlay: the 7-day trip to Tukayyid had been one-long round of repairs and arguments. They had been able to get a company of Mech's up and running, but his near constant argument with Sinead had taken its toll, laving him emotional and physically drained.
The door of the 4x4 opened, and a man in a SLDF uniform stepped out. Cairo raised an eyebrow: there weren't many SLDF unit's left around after the restored Star League had been disbanded at the end of the Davion Civil War. He walked up to the stranger and saluted, "Major Steven Cairo reporting as ordered, sir."
"Colonel McKinlay." The SLDF officer returned the salute, "I want to thank you for taking this mission Major: this situation is bad, and yours is the only unit with the experience we need to deal with the problem."
"Well sir, all we we're able to get working and battle ready in time is a company of Mech's and two points of Elementals. And if you don't mind me asking: why was a unit in such a bad state as mine tapped?"
"Clearwater said you were plain-spoken. Ok, this is what we know." He led the way back to the 4x4 and a portable holo-projector, "A couple of months ago we got reports of pirate activity in the former Clan Smoke Jaguar Occupation Zone. I ordered in my best unit to find out what was going on, and what they found was shocking: the pirates were mainly former Smoke Jaguar warriors out to get revenge on the Inner Sphere."
"We took down their base on a world called Casere here in the Free Rasalhague Republic. But, by the time we got there, the bulk of their forces had already left for here, and had managed to take over the ComStar command centre and shut the HPG network down." McKinlay wiped his brow, "I don't think I need to tell you what this means for the war effort."
"Without the HPG network, we're down to ship's and the black-boxes to communicate, and that's no way to fight a war."
McKinlay nodded, "Now you understand why we need back up: Shadow Company is good, but not invincible."
Cairo's eyes widened "Are we talking about the same Shadow Company that was on Huntress about 4-5 years ago?"
"I see you remember them. I read Piecemaker's report about you little trip to Bagera: I was impressed."
Cairo shrugged, "It was something I had to do." He handed over a data-pad, "Like I said, we've managed to re-build a company: the Command Lance is me in a TLR1-O Templar, along with a TDK-7X Thunder Hawk, a NSR-9J Nightstar and a BNC-5S Banshee. The second lance is made up of a Thor-prime, a WHM-8D Warhammer, a HA1-0 Hauptmann and aZEU-9T Zeus. We also managed to get a scout lance made up, but we have to go collect a CN9-D3 Centurion from my DropShip across the spaceport to complete it, but it will consist of the Centurion, a RZK-9S Razorback, a Nobori-Nin B and a Jenner IIC 2. We do have two points of Elemental we can deploy, but I'd like to keep them in reserve in case the enemy tries to make a run for the spaceport. I wish we could give you more, but the fighting on Callisto V was bad."
"Well, get your people mounted-up: we've managed to stall the Clanners by offering a Batchall for the compound, but we can't trust them not to try something."
Cairo nodded, heading back to the DropShip.
TBC…