Hap went through his Griffin's startup sequence as he surveyed the convoy. The McFinnigan Techs were driving a modified Swift wind scout car that had the comms gear removed so it could carry more cargo, it was also pulling a trailer stacked with missile crates and other supplies. The rest of the convoy was a mix of supply vehicles, a commercial freight hauler, a couple APCs and a few dedicated combat vehicles. Specifically, there were a couple Skulkers, a hover tank, and two Strykers.
Hap wondered what was keeping the convoy cruising speed at 60 Kph. It was likely so his 'mech could keep up, but he scanned the vehicles again and remembered the Strykers max speed was around 85 kph just like his 'mech. The Stryker was a pretty standard AFFS combat vehicle, cheap, easy to maintain and effective at both long and short ranges. A pair of Strykers could put up a good fight especially with a few other vehicles to support them. The Strykers were probably gifted or sold at a very nice discount as part of the AFFS backing when the St. Ives Compact was formed. When Hap and Anastasia were being entertained by the Ambassador she mentioned coordinating Foreign Military Sales, and this was probably part of what she was talking about.
The Convoy Commander said something in Chinese to the convoy. Hap waited for someone to translate but instead the vehicles started to pull out and began going down the road.
"Confirm, we're moving out." Hap said
The husky voice of Si-ben-bing Chorkoff came on the net, "Dah, Dah, 'mechwarriors stand-by. Convoy is beginning to 'move out'. Fall in as it goes."
"Acknowledge, Tango Mike."
"What?" Si-ben-bing Chorkoff said.
"Thanks much." Hap replied.
"You're welcome." Si-ben-bing Chorkoff replied.
Hap turned over to the lance's internal radio channel. "Brant, you on this net?"
There was a moment pause then the radio crackled to life and Hap heard music and a coyote barking, "Yeah what do you see from up there? I'm just looking at the back of a skulker."
"I think we're moving out. I see the vehicles at the front getting on the highway. Joker, get to the front of the formation."
"I'm on it." Joker said. Hap watched the Firestarter move around the vehicles as they started to pull out of the marshaling area and onto the highway.
"Brant, I think it's best you just stay in the convoy order they have you in and follow the vehicle ahead to you." Hap said as more vehicles started to move.
"Just like we talked about, brother." Brant asked.
"Exactly, and Anastasia will fall in behind you."
"Acknowledge." Anastasia said in her quite professional voice. "Also, given that our Compact allies warned of mines and improvised explosives. I recommend we stay on the road as much as possible."
"Agreed. You got that Joker and Mags?" Hap stepped the Griffin forward, and waited for more of the line of vehicles to pass him by him as the Mercenary's supply vehicle and Anastasia's Valkyrie fell into line behind them. Hap could see Selene's head sticking out of the window.
"Acknowledge." Mags said.
"Whatever the professor says." Joker replied as he stepped his 'mech back onto the road and ran down the incoming traffic lane. Thankfully there were no vehicles in the lane, but Hap grimaced as Joker ran his 'mech to the front of the formation.
"Mags once the final vehicle pulls out I want you to fall in behind it." Hap let a few more vehicles passed before he slipped into the convoy.
"Too easy, Hefe." Mags responded.
Hap settled his 'mech into a near jog next to one of the vehicles in the convoy. 60 kph was a little faster than his 'mech's walking speed, but not an all out run. He settled his 'mech into an easy jog and kept pace a few vehicles behind Anastasia and the McFinnigan's supply vehicle.
As far as missions went escort missions were Hap's least favorite. They could potentially be the safest, but there was a lot of time where nothing was happening. It also required the mental energy to keep his 'mech moving in a generally straight direction at a set speed, and not stepping on a vehicle. There was also the problem that if he lost focus he might walk into an obvious ambush, but it was grueling to be hyper vigilant. Long escort missions were a careful balance of paying attention but not to the point of exhaustion or distraction.
There was the other problem, time like this meant time in his head, thinking. Hap glanced at his tactical display and then his 'mech's GPS. It gave him the speed, location, and the time. All these things confirmed it was going to be a long day. He glanced at his tactical display again and then out his cockpit canopy. He could see the back of Anastasia's Valkyrie and he imagined her quietly sitting in her command couch fine tuning her sensors.
"Hey Brant, you got any good music there?" Joker asked, "Think you could pump it into the lance net?"
Hap heard the squelch of the radio broken by music and Selene barking, "Yeah Joker, I got some of the best music, let me see if Tasja or Masja can pipe it into the lance channel." Brant answered. Hap could hear Tasja and Masja talking and then there was the clear sound of a violin being played energetically followed by a crowd cheering.
"Oh is this part of Aaron Copland's Rodeo Ballet?" Anastasia asked.
"Uh, no it's called Orange Blossom Special by Hyades Raised and Samantha's daughters." Maja said.
"Yeah, this is some fine Blue Grass from the Taurian Concordat." Brant replied as a woman began singing about a train, "Definitely not a ballet. Although a ballet about a Rodeo might be worth seeing at least once."
"I see. Very good." Anastasia said.
"Why would anyone think ballet is good music?" Joker asked.
"How many ballets have you actually heard?" Anastasia asked.
"Enough to know they're not good music." Joker shot back.
"If you guys are going to talk over my music, maybe you should take it to another channel." Brant said.
"Actually Brant, switch the music to the alternate channel. Keep the primary channel clear and stay focused, before something bad happens." Hap said. The music might help the lance stay sharp, but it was usually a bad idea especially if they started complaining about certain songs or styles of music.
"Something bad? Like Anastasia makes us listen to ballet?" Joker said.
"More like we walk into a firefight." Hap said.
"I think I'd prefer the fire fight." Mags added as Joker laughed.
"Receiving an education in art and culture is not a punishment." Anastasia said.
"Maybe not, but you know Mags, she'd rather shoot at people than dance."
"Not always." Mags said, "But ballet isn't my style of dance."
"I'm guessing Joker is not your preferred dance partner, either." Anastasia said.
"Not if he's going to ballet dance." Mags said.
"I don't know how to ballet dance, so I don't know what you two are talking about." Joker said.
"I've seen your attempts at dancing, Joker. I'm not convinced you know any style." Anastasia said.
"Hey Professor, right before we loaded-up into our 'mechs you were 'trying to do' something, and Hap changed the subject real quick." Joker said. "What are you trying to do?"
"Hap didn't change the subject Joker." Anastasia said, "To paraphrase things I've heard you and others say, I'm here to accomplish the mission, and enhance your knowledge of art and science. Currently my mission is being accomplished and only demands a modicum of my attention. Where does that leave us?"
"You're saying you're here to kick ass, and give lectures?" Joker asked
"In the most succinct terms, yes, but you'll note there is nothing hostile to kick, therefore-"
"If there's no ass to kick I'm going to listen to music." Joker replied.
"Stay focused and make sure you switch back if you start seeing activity on this net." Hap said.
There was a few minutes of silence and Hap glanced again at the GPS. They were still hours and kilometers from completing their mission or even the river crossing. It was going to be a long day. Hap chuckled to himself as he realized he agreed with Mags, getting ambushed would be a welcome distraction, especially if Joker and Anastasia went at it again.
Hap checked his tactical display again and tried to settle into the escort duty. His mind drifted to the events of the previous day. After the conversation with Colonel Bruckner, and a meeting with the local MIIO office they spent the rest of the day, and the evening with the Ambassador Countess Marlene Clarke-Martin, who happened to be Anastasia's godmother. The ambassador insisted Hap call her Aunt Marlene and she also insisted they stay the night at Davion House.
Part of the embassy was a personal residence for the Ambassador called Davion House. Hap got the sense that most embassies had a Davion House or something similar. It was large enough that she could entertain large parties, and had enough bedrooms and bathrooms to comfortably accommodate multiple guests and visiting delegates.. The Davion house had a complete staff and Aunt Marlene had them prepare a full course meal.
Hap honestly couldn't remember how many courses there were, but the meal took several hours and had multiple appetizer dishes, a soup, two main dishes, cheeses and several desserts. One of the deserts was a Kincha tort that Anastasia stole from him. Marlene also had multiple wines from all over the Federated Suns, the Lyran Commonwealth, and the St. Ives Compact. She freely shared more bottles than Hap could count,
The conversation with Marlene ranged from everything to family gossip, to Federated Sun's Grand Strategy. As Hap suspected Marlene's generally bemused and scatterbrained demeanor was an act. She was sharp and fully understood her role and how to interact with the Compact's leadership. Hanse Davion had initially wanted to either absorb the Compact or make it into a proxy state that he controlled. As Candance Liao resisted both of these things, Marlene was sent to "make nice" and generally be a non-threatening representation of the Federated Commonwealth. If the Compact wanted assistance, she was to give it in full measure, if they declined an offer she was to politely ensure they knew it was waiting when they changed their mind. Her mission was to ensure the Compact was a friendly buffer state that enjoyed a good relationship with the Federated Commonwealth.
Her Defense Attaché's negligence wasn't helping her, but the Compact was trying to assert their own independence so it hadn't cost her anything yet. She made it clear she was sending Colonel Bruckner back to New Avalon in disgrace and would make it clear that the AFFC leadership needed to replace him with an officer that was more capable and committed. She also wanted a full military staff for the Defense Attaché office.
At the end of the evening she even gifted Hap and Anastasia several bottles of Lyran Riesling. Anastasia mentioned they were looking for mead, and Marlene produced what she described as a very potent mead from the Draconis Combine's Rasalhague Military District. Marlene was unclear about how she came by the Mead. She simply said it was the closest thing she had to Cholobara, she hoped they would drink it in good health. Of course the way she said, "Good health like your mother and father enjoyed." seemed to imply she suspected they were trying to start their family. .
Hap changed his radio to the channel he shared exclusively with Anastasia. "How's it going over there."
"Fine. Quiet. Scanners are clear. We are near the river crossing."
"I wanted to talk about Joker and Mags. When do you plan to tell them we're trying to have children? I'm pretty sure Joker is suspicious and he's going to keep hounding you until you tell him."
"I was planning to wait until I was actually pregnant, probably when I was starting to show and couldn't deny it was anything else." Anastasia answered.
"I think you're underestimating our lance mates."
"I think I'd prefer if our lance mates weren't inquiring into our intimate affairs. I'd like to avoid the 'hey has Hap been successful at impregnating you, yet?' questions." Anastasia said with a mock imitation of Joker.
"Now you're overestimating our lance mates, Joker would never say anything like "impregnate", he'd just ask, if you 'got knocked-up yet?'."
"Or he'd find some other tawdry metaphor, and that interaction is one I'd prefer to avoid."
"I don't think you can avoid it, he's going to say something that will annoy you one way or another."
"Still I find it odious how everyone takes an unhealthy interest in our process of making a family."
"Yeah even Aunt Marlene seemed like she might be curious where we were at in the 'process of making a family'."
"Oh she was, however she waited till you were out of the room to inquire. It's to be expected from Aunt Marlene, she's my godmother and lives vicariously through me and Francine and Samantha. She's also my mother's best friend, and a compulsive gossip. I'd be more surprised if she didn't show a certain level of interest in our efforts."
"I gotta say Aunt Marlene didn't seem like a noble." Hap paused, "That sounds like an insult, I mean she wasn't-"
"Aunt Marlene lacks illusion, pretense, and is not self-aggrandizing."
"That's what I was trying to say."
"Daddy felt she was the most 'grounded' Noble he had ever met as well."
"Okay that's what I was actually trying to say. I think if we had stayed another day I'd probably have learned that me and Aunt Marlene had something in common."
"Her and dad would bet on Solaris matches. Their only argument was usually over the types of matches. Daddy preferred the light and medium class leagues. He liked the speed and creativity of the pilots with the smaller tonnage. Aunt Marlene preferred watching assault class 'mechs use their extensive arsenal, and massive limbs to destroy each other."
"Alright when this is done we're going to watch a match with her. Out of curiosity, which do you prefer, Mediums or Assaults." Hap asked
"I think I just preferred the good pilots. There was one match with a Marauder 3D versus a Warhammer 6R I remember quite distinctly. They began by exchanging PPCs fire while the Warhammer tried to close, but the Marauder would alternate between one PPC and his large laser, so he kept up a sustained rate of fire the Warhammer couldn't match. The Marauder pilot would just fall back and stay out of medium and short weapon ranges."
"He eventually found a good spot on a military crest and went hull-down. He was able to fire his large laser at the Warhammer while it was forced to move in the open. When the Warhammer finally closed, the Marauder popped up and executed an Alpha strike. After the previous weapon exchanges it was more than enough to force the Warhammer pilot to eject."
"That sounds like good tactics, but a boring match."
"That's what Daddy and Aunt Marlene said too. The commentators were more colorful in their denunciation, but from my perspective he was quite good. I should add, I was reading a book about the Hidden War and the old Star League Gunslinger program at the time. I imagined this was how a duel between a Star League Gunslinger and one of the rogue Kuritan Ronin would have looked."
"So everyone hated that match, but you enjoyed it?"
"Yes. I really did."
"Did you ever see that mechwarrior compete again?"
"No. At least I never saw another match quite like that. Daddy said his stable would probably teach him what made a good and exciting fight, and no promoter would ever let him back into a large arena. I suspect his next fight contained less tactical competence, more violence, and what Aunt Marlene describes as 'style'."
"That is generally what people want out of a 'mech duels, violence and style."
"People are generally stupid."
"That's easy for you to say, you have an IQ that's double or triple the people around you."
"That's not…It's certainly not triple, at least not in most cases." Anastasia paused, "I really shouldn't say stupid. Aunt Marlene is quite intelligent, and there was no one smarter than daddy." Anastasia paused, "I think one of the things that pushed me to learn as much as I could as quickly as I could was so that I could help my father."
Hap saw Joker's Fire Starter rocket into the air. He glanced at his tactical display and saw they were at the river crossing and already the vehicles were pulling off to the side of the road. Mags' Jenner was running from the back of the convoy to the front. Hap stopped his Griffin and stepped out of the formation.
"We should probably switch to the main channel."
"Yes, I suppose." Anastasia said and Hap heard a quiet click as he changed command channels.
"Joker, is everything good?" Hap asked.
"Roger Hap, I'm on the far side of the river, and my scanners are clean and green. It looks like the Compact guys are moving their engineers up."
"I'm movin' up Hefe." Mags added and Hap could see her 'mech's icon moving swiftly on his tactical display.
Hap waited for the last few vehicles to pass by him before he followed them to the river. Anastasia had already jumped her mech across the river and was tuning her sensors to try and get some extra distance and fidelity. Mags got her 'mech into position and a few of the combat vehicles parked at her feet.
Hap moved his Griffin to form a square with his lance mates. They were exactly how Hap wanted them. Each mech was facing in a different direction with their backs to the river crossing area. They made a 360 degree perimeter, and any would-be adversary couldn't sneak up on them.
"Brant, you got eyes on the engineer team?" Hap asked as he looked over his tactical display.
"Yeah boss, they're in knee deep water and got some long poles out and are probing the mud. Looks like real crap work. Glad I'm a mechtech." Brant said, "Hey brother, I see some of the vehicle crews are getting out, we're thinking about stretching our legs, and letting Selene take care of any business she might have."
"I'd suggest you remain in your vehicle as this would be an ideal place to deploy small, anti-personnel mines designed to wound or maim." Anastasia said.
"Good copy." Brant said. "Oh shit!"
Hap thought he heard a small explosion and saw the main command channel was flashing. He switched over to the command channel as he half rose in his seat and swiveled his 'mech as far as he could to look around the area. He could see the carbon streak pattern of an explosion on the ground, and there was a crew member a few meters away on his back holding his leg. Two other men were trying to help him, as everyone else was looking confused. The radio was full of Chinese and Russian chatter, probably telling everyone to get back in their vehicles.
Hap switched back to the lance channel. "Anyone see what happened?"
"Yeah, Tasja said that one of the Compact guys was kicking rocks when the ground exploded. It looks like one of the rocks he kicked hit a toe-popper, and he caught some rocks. His guys got him up, and he's limping, but he's walking." Brant said. "I don't see any blood so he'll be okay.
Hap glanced down at this tactical display but there was still nothing. This would have been the ideal time to attack. "He's damn lucky. Stay sharp everyone. Most people don't create a minefield and then leave it unattended."
"Most combatants don't, but these are terrorists, and the mine could have been left over from a previous attack." Anastasia said.
"Hey Professor, I hear your sensors can detect anything, why didn't you warn 'em?" Brant asked.
"Many anti-personal and even some vehicle mines are made of non-metallic composite materials. My scanners struggle to detect such things. Also there is a great deal of iron and other metals in the area, which further degrades their capacity to detect mines. I would also add we have every reason to assume there are additional mines."
"Well aren't you just full apples and carrots." Brant said.
"Yeah, the Professor likes to just tell everyone hard truths. The worst part is she's usually right, but hey you didn't lose any toes today, so there's that." Joker said.
"Good point." Brant said, "It looks like the engineers are restacking a few sand bags and signaling to the vehicles to start moving. I'll be glad to get moving again."
Hap glanced down at his tactical display again. No sign of the enemy. Maybe it was a leftover mine and this was going to be a long day. The convoy started to form-up and Hap jumped across the river and guided his mech back onto the road and into the convoy. In a few minutes all the 'mechs and vehicles were back in line and moving toward their destination.