Rainforest, Mesa Region

Tharkad, Donegal Province

Lyran Alliance

Cairo's head was aching, his vision blurred, party do to a concussion, and partly due to the bright sunlight that filtered down through the remains of his cockpit screen. He tried to flex his arms, but at first they refused to respond to his commands, protesting about the punishment they had taken during the fall down the mountainside. His left side felt like it was on fire, his ribs obviously broken or bruised. He tried to sit up, and then realized that his Mech was lying on its back. One hand managed to find the release to the five-point harness that had kept him in place and pulled it free. A low moaning from behind told him that Bradley had also awoken.

"Can you here me?" He asked his ribs hurting with the effort.

"Sir?" Bradley sounded groggy, "What happened?"

"We fell down the hill side." Cairo explained, "Don't try and move: I'll come to you."

This was easier said than done: the opening between the two compartments had been bent out of shape by the force of impact, and was now two small for Cairo to fit through. He lifted the seat of his command couch and pulled out the survival gear stored below.

He looked up at the shattered canopy, and started to climb.

"We have to go back and find him!" Sinade looked at the other members of the command lance: the forced march under constant artillery fire had shaken them all so badly that they had not realised that Cairo was missing until they had reached the nearest paved road.

"We can't." Vassili Dante shook his head, Rene Alphonse nodding his agreement.

"We can't just leave him there." Sinade was shocked by their apparent indifference.

"He gave us orders, back when we joined this lance: in the event of his death or incapacitation, our orders are to see to your safety." Alphonse shrugged, "Dead or alive, he'd not thank us for disobeying him by taking you back into there." He nodded towards the forest at the side of the road.

"You can't stop me from going back in there." Sinade looked mad.

"We can: we where told to use 'any and all means at our disposal, up to and including physical restraint'." Dante explained, "The Colonel was very explicit."

"You look like I feel." Cairo looked down at Bradley from the open hatch.

"Thanks sir." She managed a weak smile, "So do you."

"All too true no doubt." Cairo eased himself through the hatch and carefully made his way down so he was beside his tactical officer, "Well, let's get you fixed up and ready to move."

"Will the others come back for us?"

"I doubt it: this is a hot-zone, and I gave Vassili and Rene orders to keep Sinade safe."

"That's nice." Bradley sounded distant, sleepy, "I like her."

"You're not the only one." Cairo checked the young Lieutenant's pulse, "Feel dizzy, tired?"

"A little; it sounds like I'm listening to you from underwater."

"You've got a concussion: it'll pass, but you'll be groggy for a while..." The sound of someone trying to move through the forest silently alerted Cairo that they were no longer alone, "Stay very, very still." He whispered, drawing a Stetta auto pistol from the bag containing the survival gear and set it to fully-automatic.

The sound of quiet footsteps grew closer as Cairo silently made his way back up to the hatch, holding his gun down low to keep it from sight. He glances through the hatchway and saw a squad of soldiers in Word of Blake uniforms slowly edging towards the downed Templar. They where acting foolishly, staying together in a group rather than spreading out more: An armatures mistake that was going to cost them.

"You might want to cover you ears right about now." Cairo whispered, tacking the Stetta's safety catch off and raising it. He took a deep breath, then letting half of it out, pulled the trigger.

The thunderous roar 100-caseless rounds going of in quick succession was deferring inside the confined space of the cockpit, the gun jerking widely in Cairo's hand. Three of the Blakists fell instantly, one clutching at the bloody remains of his gut as he fell screaming to the ground, his body shaking violently as he died. The other two ducked for cover as the last round slammed into a tree.

Silence returned to the forest as Cairo fumbled for another magazine.

Rounds from heavy assault riffles pinged off of the Templars ruined armour, ricochets threatening to turn Cairo and Bradley into Swiss-cheese. Cairo grabbed a fresh magazine from the satchel and hit the release button on the Stetta's handle, dropping the spent one to the floor before inserting the replacement.

"1…2…3…now!" Cairo jumped to his feet, the Stetta coming up, spitting death at the two remaining Blakists. One was caught in the proses of throwing a grenade, and dropped it to the ground where it exploded killing both of them instantly.

"Holy shit!" Cairo exclaimed, breathing for the first time in what felt like hours: the fire fight had lasted less than a minuet, but he felt as he had just taken part in a huge battle. He looked down at Bradley, "We'd better get the hell out of here before their friends turn up!"

To Be Continued…