CHAPTER 3

Review Corner

Ulquiorra9000: Unfortunately we need to wait a little longer to see the Sagittaire in action. Sometimes anticipation heightens the pleasure *wink*wink*


Strantor,
Lyran Alliance
November 2, 3073

"This is Strantor Academy, main complex," Enrique started the briefing, standing fast behind the shadow of the battlemechs. A holoprojector showed a 3D map of Strantor Military Academy with its surroundings. Noloty and the rest of the Kuritan mechwarriors encircled the holographic map, taking mental images of the map while listening to Enrique flowing down his plan.

"The buildings are situated at a small bank overlooking a vast plain, set up as battlemech training fields," Enrique rotated the map around to show different parts of the complex. "The south-eastern part of the complex conjoins with student housings and a hospital. It was the only part of the academy that does not share border with battlemech training fields.

"The battlemech training fields are reinforced with laser and ballistic turrets, but there are not many of them and they are sparsely spread. If they become more than a nuisance, the turret towers are located in these locations. One or two PPC shots should take these towers down."

Enrique pushed something on his remote controller and the guard towers on the map turned red.

"Our primary objective is to destroy Strantor Academy. There are 3 buildings that are our main targets: the power generator, the battlemech hangar, and the HPG uplink. Destroying the main generator will also disable the turrets. Destroying the battlemech hangar will prevent counter attack. And destroying the HPG uplink will prevent the academy from calling backups.

"We will split our force into 3 lances. I will lead Kyuubi lance. Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Zatoichi, you come with me. We will go from the south east, through the dorm, and take out the HPG uplink. Noloty, you lead Kurama lance. Take Saito, Sagara, and Himura with you from west. Your target is the power generator. The rest, you are Kitsune lance. Take out the battlemech hangar from the north east side, and as many mechs inside as you can.

"Lance commanders, take the Daimyos to set up C3 network. The rest of you, take the Chimeras.

"After your objective is completed, destroy any building within the complex. Take out all oppositions. Use C3 network to concentrate fire on heavy or assault battlemechs. Take them down one battlemech at a time. There is a target of opportunity: a high-ranking Lyran officer is confirmed to be in this complex. Black Dragon Society wants him dead. To make sure he does not survive, destroy anything that moves: battlemechs, vehicles, VTOLs, none of these should leave the premise. No building is to be left standing. I want that complex totally ground to the ground."

Noloty tried to make sense of Enrique's last order, but she couldn't. There were just too many wrongs in this mission to justify the destruction of non-combatants.

"If we have to abort, rendezvous at Nav Point Zeta. We either return to base or straight to the dustoff site. I will make that call. I want everything executed quick, sharp, and by the numbers. Any questions?"

Noloty considered bringing something up, but she thought it would be better discussed in private.

"Dismiss. You have 6 hours. We're moving out at 0300 hours."

As the mechwarriors dispersed, Noloty dragged Enrique away from the briefing site, deeper into the shadow toward the Sagittaire. She stopped a few steps away from the feet of the Sagittaire, making sure nobody was following them.

"With all due respect, Sir, it is not my place to argue with you in the advent of a battle, but taking out the Lyran officer is dangerous. We're here for only 3 days. We know nothing about the situation. Striking Tigers Battalion is an elite Lyran unit. We are just a bunch of training graduates with no combat experience. We are asking too much of ourselves to meet Black Dragon's demand."

"We have the element of surprise," Enrique was adamant. "The Lyrans don't know about us. If we can get them before they get to their battlemechs, we'll slaughter them on the ground. Two birds with one stone."

"If we can, Sir. What if we don't? We are the ones who get slaughtered."

"Are you saying you can conceive a better plan, Heishi?" Enrique started to get irritated.

"No, Sir, that is not my intent. I just thought that we are putting our lives in grave danger to meet Black Dragon's unreasonable demand."

"You're the one that was eager to pay your debt to the Black Dragon Society, are you not?" Enrique pushed back. "It took care of you when you lost your family, so you joined the military to support its cause. Wasn't it your intention to join the 2nd Sword of Light?"

"I uh…" Noloty stammered. "It was, Sir. I was naïve. I was brought up to always return favors, but to return favors doesn't mean to throw away lives. And as far as I can remember, you don't give a crap about the Black Dragon Society, Sir. Why do you want to please the Black Dragon if you don't care about it?"

"Because I am a soldier, Heishi Noloty," Enrique huffed. "I am a Kuritan warrior. I do not question authority. Do you think I want this mission? Do you think the other mechwarriors want this mission? We all want the Word of Blake! That's everybody's intention to join the 2nd Sword of Light: to kick Word of Blake's ass so hard they blast off the Inner Sphere. But our order is to destroy a Lyran military academy, with an opportunity to kill a Lyran officer. That's what we are going to do!"

Noloty didn't see a way to change Enrique's decision, so she tried a different way to make the job easier. "Then please consider using this mech, Sir. This is an assault battlemech. We could use its firepower, with its psychological impact to throw the Lyrans off."

"This?" Enrique looked up to observe the shadowy figure. "Harpy said it brought bad juju."

"It killed a Highlander at Solaris, so it worked like any other assault battlemechs."

"It killed all mechwarriors that tried to pilot it."

"The Solaris jock was not killed by internal fire. He was killed by a head shot."

"One out of four is not a good statistic, Noloty."

"If you don't want to do it, I volunteer, Sir," Noloty couldn't believe her own words. A FedSun-made battlemech she barely knew? Why would she risk her life in it? Nevertheless, it felt like a good move at that time. If the Kuritans were to go head-to-head against an elite Lyran unit, they need all the firepower they could get.

"This mech is a far cry from your comfort zone!" Enrique griped. "It's slow, it has a wide profile, it carries Davion weapons that were proven to be unreliable. Why do you even think of using it?"

"If I can't do anything with it, at least I can draw fire."

"No," Enrique shook his head. "I won't rely on Davion piece of shit to complete our mission. Stick with the Daimyo."

Noloty could find at least 3 more reasons why they should use the Sagittaire in their mission, but she didn't see how Enrique would defer to her logic. She tossed a salute and a quick "Yes, Sir,", then walked back to join the rest of the team.

"Noloty, wait," Enrique caught her wrist, then gently turned her toward him. "The reason I don't want to use it is because I don't want to lose you in a freak accident." He stumbled on his words for a while. "You are not the best Kuritan mechwarrior we have, but by Hachiman you are the best mechwarrior coming out of the training center. We need you." He leaned forward, looking deep into her cobalt blue eyes. "I need you." He put his hands on her cheek and softly kissed her lips.

Noloty kept her posture straight, but she closed her eyes, reliving the many passionate hours they spent together. Her body burnt for his touch. Her skin tingled in anticipation of his lips. And her stomach bubbled, longing for that rhythmical contact with his ribbed pectoral muscles, as he filled her with warmth.

But her sense of duty won yet again. She restrained herself from reciprocating, mustering every bit of energy to stand fast until he mercifully stopped teasing her. He got her message. He took a few steps behind, eyes locked on hers as he composed himself.

"I miss you," he said, half whispering. "When this is all over, I'd like to pick up where we left off."

Noloty didn't have the strength to say anything. She just nodded weakly, letting him know that she was there with him.

"Well then, carry on, Mechwarrior!" Enrique returned to his cold, proud old self. "You have 6 hours before the mission. I suggest you get some rest."

"Yes Sir," Noloty replied with a salute.