Part IV

CarsonValley

Dunianshire

Magistracy of Canopus

March 15th, 2588

Floral peered out the cockpit canopy, trying to pick out any signs of movement along the wooded valley. Light from the noon sun glinted off of a stream in the distance, and trees along the valley's forested slopes swayed languidly in the breeze. No sign of mankind's interference could be seen. It would have been an idyllically pleasant day if not for the eminent conflict looming over the horizon.

Orbital sensor scans had detected a large force moving toward the valley but lost track of them as the satellite passed to the other side of the planet. According to the data it transmitted before it got out of range, Zhukov's forces would be arriving soon—all according to plan.

Forward scouts were stationed further along the valley, eyes and ears peeled for any enemy movements. Around her, ranks of heavy armored vehicles were entrenched along the valley. Infantry units had gone to ground, waiting for the right moment to strike, and BattleMechs had positioned themselves along the tree line to gain the maximum amount of cover they could.

Floral kept telling herself that they were as prepared as possible, but her nerves still gnawed at her. Come on Zhukov, get on with it, she silently willed.

She began to worry that he had figured out their plan, that Zhukov had realized the trap and decided to find another way across the highlands. This was the only shot they had. If this failed, there wasn't going to be another chance like it. There would be no victory—only defeat.

Then a voice broke in over the tactical net. "Contact, I have contact--A large force bearing nine degrees west by south west!"

"This is it, get ready!" she called out.

The scout swore, "Damn, we've been spotted! We're pulling out!"

Off in the distance, A pair of 'Mechs broke through the canopy of trees as they leapt into the air. They were swiftly followed with a withering fusillade of PPC and missile fire that tore through the space around them. Several salvos struck the trailing 'Mech, simply blasting it to pieces. The other BattleMech somehow weathered the storm and landed further off in the valley's dense vegetation.

A moment later, the 'Mech jumped again. This time Floral could see that it was a Firestarter, orange flame seething outward from its outstretched arm as it rose skyward. The consuming fires ignited the trees beneath it instantly, sending gouts of smoke billowing up into the sky. As soon as the 'Mech landed, it started the process over again on its way back to the main formation.

Undeterred by the flames, the Firestarter's pursuers kept up the chase.

The first enemy unit to break through the foliage was a Dervish painted in the blue and white colors of the SLDF. It started into a loping run after the Firestarter but stopped as if sensing something was wrong. Floral didn't give its pilot time to figure out what that was. She clamped down on the trigger, sending a volley of fifteen LRMs streaking toward the enemy 'Mech. Other units joined the salvo as well, and the combined attack tore into the Dervish with savage abandon. Whole sheets of armor were blasted off its body, and its left arm snapped, whirling away into the underbrush. Then the dervish came apart at the seams, fire exploding outward as its ammunition stores cooked off.

Floral smiled to herself, but her satisfaction was short lived. More SLDF units were already moving past the shattered Dervish toward the Magistracy line.

"Fire at will!" she shouted into the command net.

The armored vehicles around her opened up, pouring munitions into the advancing force as they returned fire in kind. Tanks on both sides went up in brilliant explosions. An enemy Ostroc took several hits to its leg and toppled face-forward on the ground. A blue and white Griffin attempted to ignite its jump jets to rise above the wall of weapons fire, but an autocannon round cored through its torso to detonate the 'Mech's LRM ammo. The resulting blast rained BattleMech components over the battlefield, but still the tide of SLDF units kept coming. Soon the Star League force had closed the gap on the Magistracy army.

Floral snapped off a shot with her large laser at an approaching Rifleman. She didn't wait to see whether she hit or not and dodged to the side just as a return volley of autocannon shells tore through the air where she stood just moments before. The depleted uranium slugs slammed into the trees behind her, shearing away limbs in a shower of leaves and splinters.

An LRM carrier along the rear lines burst into flames as the crew scrambled to get out of the wrecked vehicle. "All troops forward!" she yelled, nudging her 'Mech into motion to fill the gap. The Magistracy units surged forward to meet the oncoming Star League Defense Force, vehicles on either side exploding as the volume of fire increased.

The 'Mechs at the head of the Star League charge barreled into the front ranks, zealously tearing through the Magistracy line. Floral triggered her lasers and LRMs at the Rifleman she had traded shots with moments before. The shots scattered across its arms and legs as a volley of short-range missiles from a nearby tank joined the attack. Several missiles impacted along the 'Mech's chest, but others slammed into its legs, tearing away armored plating and coring into its internal structure. The attack must have damaged something vital because the Rifleman stumbled forward, teetering precariously before it pitched forward and hit the ground.

A feral smile crept onto Floral's features. "Time to close the noose!"

As soon as she gave the order, small weapons fire erupted from the area around the charging Star League units. Previously unnoticed infantry came out of hiding behind the forward elements of the charge, peppering them with machine gun and laser fire.

Floral seized upon the enemy's momentary surprise as she surged toward them. "Charge!" The Magistracy forces followed her lead, throwing themselves at the forward elements of the Star League army.

Floral made for the downed Rifleman where it struggled to regain its footing, its cannon-like arms braced against the ground. She triggered a burst of lasers and short-range missiles that tore through torso armor and into its internal structure. The 'Mech seemed unfazed as it continued its dogged attempts to stand up, but Floral wasn't about it give it the chance. She closed the short gap between the two 'Mechs and lashed out with her armored foot.

The blow struck the Rifleman's left arm, bending the barrel back at an impossible angle. The 'Mech's pilot lost control of the machine and it toppled to the ground once more. Floral pressed the attack, savaging the torso once more with laser fire. She moved forward, momentarily hovering above the Rifleman's prone form before stomping her foot down on its already weakened chest. Internal structure crumpled as the mechanized foot penetrated into the Rifleman's innards. Instead of exploding outward as the blow crushed its fusion engine, the 'Mech simply died. Its limbs went limp as power ceased to flow through its systems, and its sparking innards winked out.

Floral had no time to savor the kill though, because soon after her 'Mech was buffeted by a blast of missiles. She twisted, centering her vision over the Shadowhawk sprinting in her direction. She tried to bring her weapons to bear, but before she could fire, the 'Hawk staggered as a stream of twenty autocannon shells slammed into its side. She looked back to see Colonel Buquoy's Hunchback striding purposefully forward, trails of smoke still lingering around the muzzle of its shoulder-mounted cannon.

The Shadowhawk twisted and stumbled away, trying to find cover in a nearby stand of trees, but a combined assault from nearby units soon finished it off. The cockpit canopy blew off, and an ejection seat rocketed upward scant seconds before the 'Mech's torso blew outward in an all-consuming firestorm.

Floral paused a moment to look around the battlefield, the smile on her face growing. It was working. It was actually working. They had caught the SLDF by surprise, and they were beating them back. They just had to keep it up.

"Press the Attack!" she ordered, throwing herself back into the charge.

She centered her sights on a Star League tank desperately trying to escape the coming carnage. Her LRMs peppered its turret, flaying away already weakened armor. Then the large laser struck, coring through the last of its armor to gut its insides. A small flashe issued from within as it ground to a halt, smoke streaming from its ruined turret.

All along the front, Star League forces began to pull back, attempting to get into to the cover of the dense forest. A cheer went up as the Magistracy units leapt forward to give chase.

"No, stand down!" Floral ordered.

"They're in rout," one of the commanders protested. "We have to press our advantage!"

"That's just what they want. We can't give chase outside the valley—they'll tear us apart." She shook her head, "No, if they want Dunianshire, they're going to have to come to us. For now, tend to the wounded and effect what repairs you can. This battle isn't over yet."

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They had done it—they had actually beaten them back. Colonel Buquoy shook his head in disbelief. He knew the victory wouldn't last, but still—the troops were now even further entrenched behind the Magistrix's cause. Fools, He thought to himself for perhaps the fifteenth time today.Yes, they had won this skirmish, but they couldn't hold out forever. All this victory did was give false hope to an army that had none to cling to.

Surveying the smoking wrecks that dotted the evening landscape, Buquoy couldn't help but think that the smoldering corpses trapped within would have been living breathing people had he possessed the strength to do what had to be done. He hated himself for it. Their blood was on his hands as much as Cameron's, as much as the Magistrix's. But self-loathing couldn't change the past. He was committed the battle now. There was no redemption to be had, no salvation to be found, and absolutely no going back.