Los Alamos,
The Periphery,
Spinward of the Federated Commonwealth

Lt. Steve Clark ran along the streets of Cairo with only his service revolver in his hand. A jet-black CHP-2N Champion ran along ahead of him, firing its weapons at buildings that exploded when hit. Clark fired his revolver at the back of the 60-ton Mech as he ran, the bullets bouncing off the heavy armour.

No matter how fast Clark ran, the Champion simply strode on, not even noticing Clark. The Mech turned a corner, stepping over the bunt-out hulk of a Commando. Clark lost sight of the Mech while he ran around the fallen machine.

When he turned the corner he saw the terrifying spectre of the Champion towering over him. The twin turret mounted small lasers on the dark Mechs centre torso swung down to point straight at Clark. The laser barrels glowed blue as the weapons discharged…

Rainforest, Mesa Region

Tharkad, Donegal Province

Lyran Alliance

"Colonel, wake up!" A distance voice echoed around Cairo's head, "Colonel!"

"Huh?" He opened his eyes, "What's going on?"

"You where having some kind of nightmare." Bradley looked worried.

"It's nothing: just old memories. What time is it?"

"0542: just before dawn."

"We'd better get going." Cairo stood and walked over to the commandeered hover-bike, "We got a long way to go yet, and not a lot of time."

"You really think something's going on here?"

"You saw those poor bastards from the Militia." Cairo started the hover-bike's engine, "Someone messed with their Mechs, and they paid the price."

"So where we headed?" Bradley climbed onto the pillion seat.

"There should be a Militia base about 200-K's from here: hopefully they'll be in contact with the HQ in Costa Mesa."

They had gotten less than 100-kilomets when a Hover APC appeared out of a side road.

"Sir!" Bradley sounded scared over the roar of the two engines.

"Stay calm." Cairo reassured her, "We're on a Word of Blake bike remember."

The two craft continued side by side for a while, and then the APC started to signal for them to pull over.

"Hold on Sara: things are about to get a little bumpy!" Cairo opened the throttle as far as it would go, the front of the Hover-bike rearing up as it took off down the track, Cairo doing his best to keep it from crashing into the trees.

Twin lines of tracer fire crewed up the road behind them, almost making them skid. Cairo leaned hard to the side, taking a sharp bend at almost 100-kph, the side of the lift-skirt cutting a line through the mud. Cairo accelerated up the next hill trying to put as much distance between them and the APC.

A near blinding flash of light heralded the arrival of a pair of Savannah Master Scout craft from behind the APC, obviously called up to catch the nimble Hover-bike. Cairo checked both sides of the road: the trees where too close together to go off-road and the next turnoff wasn't for a while yet.

All of a sudden a huge Black Knight heavy Mech kicked its way clear of the tree line, its right-arm mounted PPC coming up as Cairo tried in vain to stop the speeding hover bike.

To Be Continued…