Chapter III, by RogueBaron

Dreadnought-Class jumpship,
Orbit of Irian, Free World League,
April 11, 3068

"OK, LISTEN UP!" Major Chip Taylor raised his voice as he was briefing the crew. "Our objective is to raid this base, download some freaking information, get out and get richer. I don't want heroes, just smart, rich warriors. Let's get to the details. The base is at the base of Soapstone Mountain. We can use the terrain to our advantage. Scout Lance, take this pass and sneak behind the garrisons when they sleep. Your mechs have been equipped with special circuitries that will automatically scan your objective buildings, but you have to stand less than 100 meters from your objectives for at least 20 seconds. So keep yourselves undetected. I want you to scan 4 buildings: the weapon integrity building, the actuator testing building, the battlemech factory, and the mech hangars. Divide your force to cover these objectives equally so you can do it with minimum amount of time.

"Mario, I want you to lead the Fire lance to station at this point," Chip pointed a spot on the holographic map. "It's 800 meters from the complex. Your job is to create diversion and lure the defenders out of the complex. Hit them hard for a couple of minutes, then retreat toward this pass, but make sure that the defenders follow you. I will bring the command lance to wait halfway through the pass to ambush the defenders. Once the complex is empty, Scout lance will do the job."

"Resistance, Sir?" Mario asked.

"Light, medium at most. Irian has only been raided once, so the Free World should not be alert. Do what I said, nice and easy, and everyone will get out richer. Understood? Alright, you are dismissed. Go to your mechs. We're dropping off in 30 minutes."

Mario walked to the dropship with the rest of the company. He put on his helmet, then climbed his Phoenix Hawk slowly. He sat on the command couch and closed the canopy. Through the glass he could see his comrades. On his left was the Scout lance consisted of a Locust, a Razorback, a Javelin and a Raven. On his right stood the Command lance with a Victor, a Black Knight, a Thanatos and Chip's Awesome.

In front of him stood the rest of his lance mates. On the right he saw Garcia and his Centurion. Garcia was a dependable fighter. Next to Garcia was Blitzie, a gung-ho kid in a Bushwacker. Behind Blitzie was Reneas in her Hunchback. Together with Mario's own Phoenix Hawk, they made up the Fire lance, the workhorses of the Screaming Eagles.

Twenty minutes later the dropship descended into the atmosphere toward Irian's surface. Half an hour later it touched the ground in a not-too-smooth landing. The hatch opened slowly, and all mechs climbed down to the dusty soil.

"Maintain a tight formation and speed," Mario ordered his lance mates. He led the Fire lance cruising in 60 kph, climbing up a hill of rock. They walked through the darkness. It was a long walk, but finally they made it to their position, overlooking the vast mech factory complex. Colossal buildings sprawled over a wide area, guarded by a dozen turrets.

"This is Fire Lance, we're in position," Mario reported. "I saw turrets guarding the complex, no battlemechs."

"Scout Lance on the spot, awaiting order," the CO of scout lance replied. "We have visual contact with a lance of Chimeras on the southern side."

"Alright, Fire Lance, move out!" Chip barked his order. "Neutralize the turrets, then have the Chimeras follow you to Nav Point Epsilon. I'll be waiting for you there."

"Copy that, lead!" Mario replied. "Fire lance, you heard the man! Follow me!"

The dawn was ripped by a streak of laser beam as the Fire Lance unloaded their ordnance at the turrets. Laser bursts from Mario's Phoenix Hawk dug multiple holes in one turret. It swung its autocannon, but before it could shoot, a set of lasers from Mario's pulse laser smashed into its hull. The turret engulfed in a bonfire.

Blitzie continuously exposed his Bushwacker to enemy's fires, showing off that his mech was the best of all. He sent his autocannon slug to a laser turret, destroying the base. One more turret on his right flank sprayed his mech with lasers. Two good hits ripped the armor on his AC10. He twisted and sent a barrage of missiles, all but 2 connected to the body, setting the turret ablaze.

"Ha… that's a piece of cake!" he bragged.

"Conserve ammo!" Mario yelled. "Find and smoke the control towers!"

Garcia and Reneas paced their mechs through wheezing lasers and bullets, aiming for the turret control tower at the center. Ten missiles hissed out of the Centurion's shoulder, straight to the center of the tower. Pieces of concrete flew into the air as the missiles hit the target. Reneas brought her mech to striking position and pumped her mighty AC20. A jet of bright light shot from the tower as it crumbled, and seconds later all turrets went down.

"Turrets are disabled," Mario reported. "Now wait for the damn Chimeras…"

"Fire Lance, we read power surges throughout the complex," the Scout Lance warned. "Battlemechs are powering up! Oh my God, get out of there Cruz!"

Before Mario realized what was going on, his radar was flooded with beeps and red marks. At least a dozen mechs in various weight classes boxed the Fire Lance, practically closing their exit. Mario could only gasp when the lumbering metal giants galloped in his direction, aiming their guns at him and his lance…