CHAPTER 5
Pummelo, Outworlds Alliance,
April 2, 3074
As the Leopard dropship dusted off, Neptune established encrypted comlink with his commander. She looked weary and tired, possibly from a drawn-out battle with the Kuritans, but the twinkle in her eyes informed him that she, too, got the job done.
"I hope you have good news, Lance Commander," Korra said in gruff voice.
"Affirmative, Ma'am. We successfully rendezvoused with local paramilitary escorting Davion loyalists to leave off world. Convoy was secured. The Davion loyalists had reached the drop site and left Pummelo as we speak. Kuritan loyalists and their Yakuza compatriots had been pushed back. No casualties. We are reaching combat loss grouping with severe ammunition shortage, but we are at a Davion remote fire base with a repair facility. The Kuritans know where we are, and there is a good chance that they will try to take this base out, but we have dispatched nearly a company of them, so unless they are extremely desperate, I don't think they will come. Not in immediate future at least."
"Very good work, Lance Commander," Korra's smile lit up the screen. "The refinery is saved. Kuritan units came in waves, but we dispatched them. It makes me wonder, though. What is the Kuritan looking for in a 'podunk hollow' of a planet like Pummelo?"
"Considering the Kuritans are Yakuza and not real DCMS, I guess they are trying to expand their operations," Neptune mused. "There a several crime families in this region with area of interest deep into DCMS and Federated Suns territories. Perhaps we should catch some Yakuza and beat the crap out of them to spill the beans."
"Well, you do that," Korra huffed. "Stay with Sergeant Mogami and find out what kind of conflict we are getting ourselves into. I have a feeling this is more than just a family affair. There's something sinister lurking underneath the soil of Pummelo, and I want to know what."
"Roger that, Ma'am. Neptune out."
Neptune turned off his comset, then approached Sergeant Mogami, who – just like him not a minute ago – was talking to somebody on her comset, presumably her superior. As he waited her to finish, he observed his counterpart. She was of medium built, medium height, with slim but well-toned musculature, which was expected from typical mechwarriors. Her pixie-cut black hair was drenched in sweat, and her beige complexion glistened in the cold weather. Her cleavage peeked from the front opening of her cooling vest, and although it was not as well-endowed as Carissa's, it still looked great, especially with the thin sheen of sweat.
Mogami caught him checking out on her, and she turned away, blushing profusely.
Neptune waited until she finished talking on her comset, then approached her. Her face was still pinkish, but she did her best to look professional. She didn't want to make a bad impression in front of a mercenary.
"I don't think we are properly introduced," Neptune extended his hand. "Lance Commander Neptune, Support Lance, Lexington Legends. My CO just assigned my lance to support yours, so we'll be working together for a while."
"Sergeant Mogami, Langmore Planetary Defense," Mogami grabbed Neptune's hand. "I appreciate the help, Lance Commander. I guess I just have to fill you in. Let's go to the command center."
"Lead the way," Neptune spread his arm to let Mogami take the lead. He followed her, and was instantly rewarded with a view of Mogami's buttocks, only partially covered with a skimpy underwear. His blood bubbled, and suddenly he had trouble walking. He had been away from his girl for too long, and even though the two girls were on the opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of physique, Mogami reminded him of Carissa.
Nevertheless, they arrived at the command center, and Mogami pulled up the overhead map of Pummelo. Neptune tried hard to focus on the screen, but once in a while he stole glances at the sergeant. It was not easy to set his mind on the matter at hand when there was a better 'offer' on the opposite site of the table.
"As you may have known, Pummelo is home of 3 warring families," Mogami said as she highlighted the regions on the overhead map. "The Okita family has strong ties with House Kurita, the Langmore family roots on House Davion, and the Navarro family gains support from many crime families in the Outworlds Alliance.
"Several months ago there was an uptick in the Kuritan activities at Pummelo. Our initial assessment was they were looking at regional control, because whoever controls Pummelo controls the traffics to and from Draconis Combine, Federated Suns, and Outworlds Alliance."
"What traffic?" Neptune asked incredulously.
Mogami replied with a shrug. "Contrabands. Slaves. Weapons. Drugs. Anything that makes money."
"And you work for one of these families?"
"As much as you work for the guy who flashes the most money, Lance Commander, regardless the job," Mogami hissed. "I am willing to overlook your allegiance if you are willing to overlook mine. Let's go back to business."
"Apologies," Neptune sighed. Apparently loyalty was a touchy subject for Mogami.
"With Kuritan support, the Okita family steamrolled the Langmore family. This base is one of the few Davion places still standing. And looking at the situation, it may not be for long. But," Mogami paused, as if gathering her thought, "the Langmore survivors are off world, and that's good. They will not stand in our way anymore."
"What about the Navarro? Are they in this power struggle at any point?" Neptune asked. "They should know that once the Okita finishes with the Langmore, it will set its eyes on the Navarro. Unless they are already in this conflict behind the scene."
"I tried to ally with another crime family that supports the Navarro, but it left me in the dust to defend myself," Mogami said bitterly. "Good things the Federated Suns sent the Lexington Legends to tip the balance toward our favor. Otherwise none of us would've left standing."
"Alright, my commander believes that there is something valuable in Pummelo that the Kuritan is looking forward to seize," Neptune observed the map. "The Yakuza already has many routes to control traffics in this area. They may be looking at something that we don't know we have, something that grants them status in Kuritan ranks. That's the only reason why they spend so much time and effort in the periphery."
Mogami looked at him for a while, weighing if his conjecture made sense. "What do you think they want?"
"I think even with our combined force, the Kuritan still bests us," Neptune put forward his idea. "We can fight an attrition war and still get beaten, or we can cut to the source and force the Yakuza to leave the planet. When they learn that they can't get what they want, they will leave."
"Or burn the planet in rage," Mogami pouted. "Remember Kentares Massacre?"
"Still, wouldn't you take a shot at winning a war, whatever the cost may be?" Neptune argued. "Jimmy Doolittle's little stunt cost 10,000 Chinese civilians. Yet it was the stunt that lifted up allies' morale to gather their forces and strike back. Do you think Doolittle wasn't aware of the repercussion of his action? Do you think the Chinese didn't know? Hell, they knew. They did it anyway."
"So what are you suggesting?"
"We raid one of these facilities. We kidnap the highest-ranking officer we can find. We strung him up and beat the shit out of him until he tells us what is it the Yakuza wants in this planet. Then we get there first, then tell the Yakuza that their expedition in this planet is a waste of time and money."
Mogami took a few minutes to digest Neptune's plan. As horrified as she was of the violence, and the possible outcome of it, she just couldn't pass the opportunity to serve her employee right. The Langmore family was out of reach anyway.
"There is an Okita plant hidden in this mountain," Mogami highlighted a Kuritan position on the map. "It was guarded by turret defense grid, but there is a small clearing that runs behind the plant. The pass overlooks the main generator of the plant. If we take out that generator, all systems will lose power. Radar, turrets, everything. Then we only have to deal with the defenders. Mechs and tanks and infantry and such."
"You know what mechs best suited for such raid? Jagermechs," Neptune grinned. "We have hard-hitting, long-range weapons. We can sneak behind their back and destroy the generator. Then we can take out the tanks and the mechs before they can get into range. When they all down, the plant crews will surrender. Then we can capture the field commander and force him to divulge Yakuza's real plan."
"Are you sure this plan will work?"
"How can it fail? You get the perfect mechs to do this job, you get the element of surprise, this is a textbook raid. It will work. Trust me, it will work."
Mogami observed the map for a little while longer. "It's risky, but doable. I'll throw my lance."
"Very well. We leave at sundown." Neptune walked out, but suddenly remembered what resources he needed to acquire. "Maybe we need to wait a few more weeks, until all our mechs are combat worthy."
Mogami smiled for the first time since they first met. "I agree. I'll ready my lance mates, but won't do anything until we are all ready."
Neptune followed Mogami's lithe figure until it disappeared into the corridor, then suddenly came to an urgent realization. The scantily-cladded Sergeant Mogami turned him on, and now he needed to blow off the steam. He tried to take his mind away from the subject, by observing the map or ran through the base's inventory, but his brain was filled with lewd imagery. With his face completely red, he asked the base crews if he could use their bathroom.
I can't believe I'm doing this, Neptune grumbled before locking the bathroom door from inside.