Chapter 3
Rosice
Alarion Province
Lyran Alliance
28 November, 3063
Claremont, Mechida, Adelaide, Mahone, Sargasso, Biuque, Krievci, Tsinan, Pobeda, Greenlaw…York, Carlisle, Rosice. Aurora shook her head as she mused in the map room on the Amaranth as it transited toward the planet of Rosice in Alarion Province. Nondi Steiner ordered the Coventry CPM to intercept the Slammers and the Luftwaffe through the fringes of the province, under the direct supervision of a battalion of the 1st Coventry Jaegers to insure the CPM wouldn't defect over to Victor's camp. These maneuvers delayed all three units in their ultimate objectives since the engaging forces also had help from locals on each planet loyal to Katrina's cause sabotaging rations and munitions. When the Slammers and Luftwaffe jumped across the provincial border, the enemy broke off but by then it was too late for them to return to their post. The rest of their garrison was defeated by Victor's Comstar task force, having been tricked into a less than ideal landscape. Finally, halfway though their journey, Aurora looked forward to escort duty being fulfilled and new orders given.
The intercom crackled on and her head perked up. "All hands, this is the captain. In five minutes we will be entering atmosphere. All technicians need to ensure that all cargo are secure and all personnel need to strap in for expected turbulence.". Aurora turned off the map device and placed it inside the desk A few minutes later she was in her bunk with the stasis straps hooked in as the sudden resistance and turbulence rocked the Amaranth as she entered atmosphere pointed skyward so the fusion drive cusions the pull of gravity. The turbulence gradually lessened as the Amaranth emerged from high orbit into a sterling clear sky with whispy clouds floating in the breese. With less pressure on the crew, Aurora knew soon their shore leave will start and this little break would be more than welcome even if she needed to do a strategy planning meeting.
Three minutes later the Amaranth's landing legs emerged and the egg shaped ship depressed the rough terrain underneath near Miranda City, one of the two large settlements on the western continent of Rosice. Orders were given that this would be a shore leave and resupply time and no combat action was foreseen. Officers, soldiers and techs disembarked and headed into town while the infantry squads set up guard dirty around the Amaranth in case of any surprises incoming from the jump points or the locals in town. Not much could be bought on this rock since it's in a remote part of the province however the common supplies between WorkMechs and other Mechs were found, heat sinks replaced and electronic components were stocked up for future repairs in combat situations. Personal weapons were replaced or repaired, ammo caches were replenished and finally most joined in raucous merriment at the local pub. Toasts were hoisted and good tines were had by all...that is until a few surly folks snuck in through the crowd, and went to the bar. Ordering drinks they observed the crowd, their faces getting more strained by the minute.
The celebration continued until one of the locals slammed down his beer and yelled, "These merca are sure noisy for Davion patsy swine!". A lance leader near him got off his stool and tried to calm the patron down but then suddenly the stranger sucker punched the soldier and then chaos ensued. Chairs and glasses were thrown and broken as bodies were shoved, hit and thrown around Soon the bouncers started to gain control of the situation as a few more bruised bodies hit the floor unconsious. "Let's get out of here" a tech yelled in the ebbing chaos as the visitors still standing rushed out the pub doors. Outside the building they froze, their eyes grew big as they encountered a small police force with an equally small posse.
"Freeze and raise em," the captain shouted as the angry mob raised their weapons pointed at the fleeing crowd. "Great, just what we need," Aurora smirked as everyone assumed the position.
"You mercs are almost as bad as pirates, always caring about who pays most, not who the legitimate power of the realm is."
"Money isn't all there is, we also care about what's right. Archon Katrina is a psychopath desiring total control of everything for herself. You know the truth...that she took over the Federated Commonwealth even though she broke away from it. She has no legal claim over her brother's throne...not even before the seperation."
"Silence! You've said enough, offworlder! You even forget where you are currently. You rabble are definately under arrest now. Frank get a few of the guys and cuff them."
A dusty miner and some hayseeds approached and frisked them then cuffed them and took them toward the precinct. Knowing that justice wouldnt really be served by Katrina loyalists, Aurora just rallied the rest to stay calm and when the ship doesn't hear from them, help would come.
Hours later nobody appeared to have came, darkness fell and then from outside the jail window a muffled voice announced the much awaited calvary. The battlesuit lasers slowly burned through the wals, powered down for silence. The segment was then pulled away with a soft gravelly growl as the squad escorted them outside.
At the city limits, comm chatter static came through the air reporting of incoming dropships. Though rival mercs are suspected, the ID was still being determined. A mechwarrior swore under his breath and Aurora suspected the local government got word out and got mercs under Lyran contract to come assist the Katrinist sympathizers. Halfway to the LZ someone looked back and stated that company was approaching, the authorities learned that they had escaped. A few of them swore as they couldn't believe how messy this will become. Aurora called ahead to the Amaranth and Hindenberg to scramble whatever they could get ready and to launch fighters. By the time of their arrival, one wing of craft was streaking across the sky to meet up with the approaching dropship and a perimeter of infantry was established around the zone. The hovercars zoomed up into the mechbays and all scrambled out to their different duties and the Mechs were going through startup sequences. Aurora climbed into her
Sunder-A and hooked her implant feed into the back of her neck and settled her neurohelmet onto her head and gave name, rank, password.
"Thank you Emrin, Aurora, Major… reactor online, systems online, weapons online, all systems nominal," a male voice pronounced.
Aurora opened a channel, "Attention all units this is the major. Incoming is now close enough to determine that our enemy has the markings of the merc unit known as the Grave Walkers. Let's be on our best guard and be careful out there. This encounter of course has been totally unexpected and if we all pull through then we shall take all the spoils. That seems fair enough. Now move out and…engage Augmented Imaging."
Aurora's implant glowed a jade green and her vision flashed into a computer enhanced field produced by her implant, mech sensors and the jury rigged targeting computer wedged into the Sunder=A's internal configuration. The lighter Mechs went out first and then sped off toward the enemy drop zone and then Aurora trailed behind, studying and comparing strengths and tactics. The ship, noticing the approaching opposition, hovered several meters above ground and opened the mech bay doors The Mechs of the Grave Walkers jumped out using jump jets and attatched jump packs to slow their decent. Laser and munitions fire flew between ground and sky as the two armies converged, some of the enemy force crashed on impact unable to stabilize their Mechs once their feet hit dirt. Some of the Slammer Mechs went down with either locked up legs or actuator hits, one had an unfortunate Gauss slug burrow deep into its left aide and set off an ammo explosion blowing away the left arm but the pilot was saved by his CASE pod. The one next to it wasn't so lucky when the shrapnel got under and played havoc with the fusion engine causing an overload right after the pilot ejected. Soon on equal footing, the lucky shots had ceased and then skirmish lines formed in the countryside outside of the city. Several squads of mixed Gray Death Standard and Cavalier battle armor hopped forward on jets of flame and unleashed several SRMs toward a pair of Falcon Hawks scoring torso and limb hits and received a return fire of medium lasers. Two lances worth of Firestarter G's and A's opened up with laser and autocannon fire stitching up the damaged areas of the Falcon Hawks and severing the right arms of both before the associated PPCs ever chanced to score hits. Armor melted away from the fronts of the Falcon Hawks in rivers and then, knowing they were outnumbered, the two pilots ejected. Chatter ran rampant over Aurora's comm circuit in her cockpit identifying several makes; Chameleon, Enfield, Bushwacker. Suddenly a call on her private channel got her attention from her XO notifying her of a command Mech sighting several clicks away at her 11 o'clock. Aurora nudged her sticks over forward and leftward and set off at a run toward the location. Soon she realized the closest thing the opposition had to a command Mech was a 75 ton Maelstrom. She answered the ER PPC and ER large laser fire scoring the Sunder=A's legs and torso area with LRM and Gauss rifle fire as the two titans converged. Soon the Maelstrom was joined by the Bushwacker, heavily pinged up from escaping the morass to join against Aurora. Its autocannon and machine guns opened up to join the Maelstrom's lasers as the Sunder-A rocked. Aurora hunched over from side to side in the cockpit attempting hard to keep the Mech on its feet. She aimed the Gauss rifle through blurry eyes and fired on a partial lock on the Bushwacker's head area and sparks flew from the hit, appearing to signal a critical on the sensors. She then opened up a barrage of ER PPC and laser fire on the Maelstrom and damaged its leg actuators and scored hip criticals. Slamming down the override button when the heat alarm sounded, she charged the Maelstrom and crashed into its damaged front side and crunched into it, the barrel of the PPC diving through armor and wrecking the gyro. Aurora reversed back and turned toward the Bushwacker as the Maelstrom shuddered and fell flat on its back with the pilot having the good sense to shut down and exit through the emergency hatch. Aurora called for infantry support to guard their new spoil as she concentrated lasers on the side torsos of the Bushwacker. It answered back with an autocannon barrage that scored up the right leg and damaged a foot actuator and the machine gun fire stitched across the left arm. Several areas were exposed on the Sunder-A as Aurora's fire finally opened up holes big enough to glance off ammo explosions in the opposing Mech. Both arms flew off in massive explosions with the Mech still standing, saved by CASE protection. Knowing he was beat with just the large laser remaining, the Bushwacker pilot signaled surrender and radioed his unit to fall back. The Grave Walkers then retreated toward their LZ and support trucks came forward to take what they could of the casualties. Swiping beads of sweat from her brow, Aurora opened the common channel and told the victorious Selena's Slammers to disengage Augmented Imaging and return to the Amaranth for repairs. The day was done, unexpected and unexpectantly rewardful.