STEEL WOLF
Chapter 19: The Old-Fashioned Way
Nexus, Vargas Estate, Korla,
Lyran Alliance,
September 28, 3075
The Arctic Wolves were acutely aware that each and every skyscraper, hotel, and office building in Nexus could provide cover for Vargas Estate troopers armed with RPG launchers and Inferno rocket launchers, and this deadly fact made the hairs on Kyle's neck stand up as he carefully marched his Shadow Cat down the wide, empty streets of the city with his eight surviving Arctic Wolf fellows. Hundreds of cars and trucks were parked all over the streets and parking lots, but no civilians were in sight, nor were any enemy forces.
"The main assault force is making a push down the main street," Nikolai told his troops after he received a message from Desert Eagle. "There are several support teams to guard the main force's flank, and we are one such team. Without aircraft and artillery to provide support fire, it's up to the guard teams to keep enemy forces from flanking the main army."
"As long as we don't get flanked ourselves, sir," Thomas Jones commented. "I can already imagine Urbanmechs around each corner waiting to tear us up."
Kyle knew that Thomas had a point; most of the Arctic Wolves were designed for long-range fire using PPCs and Gauss Rifles, but the team did have some medium lasers for close-range fire. Plus, Thomas' Marauder was custom-fit with an array of four SRM 6 launchers and four medium lasers in place of the normal weapons loadout, and Fury's Atlas was loaded with medium to close-range ballistic weaponry. At least the Wolves could put up a fight.
The city echoed with distant explosions and the rattle of Autocannon fire as the Wolves made a turn around an office building and marched down a wider street littered with cars. Kyle knew that the main invasion force marched a few blocks to the left, and he fervently hoped that the army would survive to conquer the city hall. Otherwise, all this work and stress would be for –
"Infernos!" Samantha barked, switching her Marauder's direction just in time to avoid a specialized SRM that was headed her way. One by one, more Inferno missiles streaked out from the balconies on the buildings, all of them bearing down on the Arctic Wolves. Feeling a thrill of dread in his nerves, Kyle shoved his joysticks to the side and stomped hard on his acceleration pedals. His nimble Shadow Cat danced back and forth in the wide street, causing Inferno rounds to miss him by a wide margin.
One Arctic Wolf wasn't so lucky. An Inferno round exploded into his Marauder's left torso just above the shoulder, spreading flammable jelly all over the 'mech's battle-damaged armor. At once, a brilliant blaze swallowed up the 'mech.
Stricken with a skyrocketing heat level, the Marauder stumbled forward a few steps, unable to fire any weapons. What was more, several 'mechs appeared on his radar and a pair of Axmans stomped onto the scene from around an apartment complex. Raising their huge, shiny hatchets high, both humanoid 'mechs brought their blades down on top of the flaming Marauder, splitting the fiery 'mech into sizzling pieces.
"And there's the short-range experts," Thomas noted grimly. "Boss?"
"Waste 'em. Let Kyle and Sam take out the infantry," Nikolai told him tensely. Only too happy to carry out that order, Thomas formed up with Fury's hulking Atlas and confronted the two Axmans. Twelve SRMs leaped from Thomas' Marauder, and the missiles pounded into one Axman's right torso, chewing off armor with a ripple of fireballs. The other Axman turned and returned fire, its large pulse laser peppering the Marauder with thick bolts of energy. The Axman kept up the pressure with its medium lasers, and the beams punched into the left torso armor of Thomas' Marauder.
"I've got you covered, Tom," Fury rumbled as he took a few heavy steps forward with his Atlas. He raised his 'mech's bulky arms and unleashed hell with his twin wrist-mounted LBX-10 Autocannons, and the cluster rounds shredded the Axman's armor from head to toe. Tons of armor flew off the 'mech's chest and legs, the sheer momentum throwing the 65-ton 'mech against the apartment building. The 'mech managed to stay on its feet, its back pressed against the apartment wall.
Before Fury could fire again, however, a Hatchetman scampered onto the road from behind an office building, its hatchet raised high. The 45-ton 'mech brought its razor-sharp hatchet down on the Atlas' left shoulder, shearing right through the 100-tonner's armor plating. With a screech of warped metal and a shower of sparks, the Atlas' entire left arm split from the shoulder and crashed loudly onto the street, leaking motor oil.
"Damn it. These guys are tearing us up the old-fashioned way," Fury cursed.
"No kidding," Thomas muttered back on the comm.
Regaining the initiative, the first Axman took a few steps forward and fired its Autocannon 20, hammering the center torso of Fury's Atlas. The huge 'mech, already thrown off-balance from the loss of its arm, was nearly thrown off its feet from the Autocannon shells. The Atlas' wide feet fought to keep the 'mech upright, preventing Fury from returning fire.
Acting fast, Thomas scampered over to cover his ally, his four SRM 6 launchers unleashing a torrent of missiles on the marauding Hatchetman. The 45-ton 'mech kicked off the ground, its jump jet boosters lifting it quickly into the air. Half of Thomas' SRMs exploded against the 'mech's skinny legs, vaporizing most of its armor. Tilting his Marauder up, Thomas fired four medium lasers from his arms, slicing off armor from the airborne Hatchetman's torso.
Fury finally regained control of his 'mech, lining up his crosshairs on the Axman that he had damaged earlier. The smaller 'mech had also recovered from its injuries, but one solid Autocannon 20 salvo from the Atlas shoved the Axman back onto the apartment's wall, cracking the building's wall. Desperate, the Axman returned fire with its medium lasers and its own Autocannon 20, shredding most of the armor from the Atlas' left torso. Still, the Atlas kept its composure and fired again with its sole remaining LBX-10, aimed right at the Axman's head. The cluster shells shattered the Axman's head and destroyed the cockpit, causing the whole 65-tonner to go limp. The 'mech slid down the apartment building and crumpled onto the street, inert.
The other Axman, however, got the jump on the Atlas while Fury was busy with the first Axman. The surviving 65-tonner approached the Atlas from the right, slashing its hatchet down as hard as it could. Caught by surprise, Fury could only shout a string of curses as the bladed weapon hacked off his 'mech's other arm, and the loss of mass finally overloaded his internal gyro. The 100-tonner leaned backwards with a loud creak of metal and fell flat onto its back with an earth-shuddering boom. The Axman stood triumphantly over its fallen foe, raising its hatchet for the kill.
Four PPC beams stabbed right into the Axman's torso, and with a brilliant blast of blue energy and sparks, the Axman's chest armor was vaporized in a split-second. The 65-ton 'mech wobbled and stumbled backwards, lowering its ax. Two Marauders marched toward the Axman, their Autocannon 5s spitting out volleys of ballistic shells. The Axman returned fire with its large pulse laser, melting a little armor off of one Marauder. Another PPC volley to the torso put an end to the Axman's threatening presence a few seconds later, causing the whole 'mech to crumple.
"I took out the Hatchetman," Thomas reported wearily, trudging his Marauder back in formation. His torso armor was nearly depleted and his 'mech had lost its left arm, but the Hatchetman lay in smoking ruins as a testament to Thomas' skill.
"Damn straight," Fury commented.
As Fury and Thomas engaged the melee 'mechs, Kyle backed up a few steps and scanned the buildings for enemy infantry, guided by the smoke trails left behind from the Inferno rounds. Kyle frowned and activated his optical zoom, praying that at least a few enemy troopers would be foolish enough to remain out in the open. His luck was solid; two Estate soldiers stood on the fifth floor balcony of a hotel, busily reloading their Inferno launchers. Grinning to himself, Kyle lined up his crosshairs and squeezed his trigger. A Gauss slug smashed into the balcony at high speeds, tearing right into the building's wall. Unable to handle the stress, the entire balcony came crashing down with a shower of wood and metal shards, taking down the two soldiers with it.
"Aaaaaargh!" one Mechwarrior howled in agony as Inferno rounds. Just as with the first Marauder who fell victim to the Infernos, the Marauder was engulfed in flames, unable to move or fire weapons with the intense heat surrounding it. SRMs rained down from another building's balcony, peppering the flaming 'mech. The Marauder collapsed in a burst of flames, its legs crushed under the torso's weight.
"Got 'em," Samantha declared. Her Light Gauss slug tore into the building's fourth floor balcony, sending It and several Estate troopers plummeting to the sidewalk.
As Kyle scanned the buildings for more infantry, a few Urbanmechs and a Hatchetman arrived from the side streets, raining down fire on the Arctic Wolves. The Marauders turned and returned fire, but their PPCs often went wide at such quarters. The Autocannon blasts from the Urbanmechs and Hatchetman tore through the Marauders' armor at an alarming rate, forcing Nikolai to change tactics. "Kyle, Sam, hit 'em with your Gauss weapons! Those little Urbanmechs can't take much fire." His point was accentuated by the fact that one Marauder fell apart from all the Autocannon barrages, and the 75-tonner crumpled to the sidewalk in a heap of twisted armor and limbs.
One of the Urbanmechs paused to fire at Nikolai's 'mech, exposing its left flank to Kyle. Taking his chance, Kyle aimed his crosshairs at the Urbanmech's torso and squeezed his trigger. The Gauss slug, fired from 300 meters away, went wide and smashed into an apartment complex's fourth floor, punching right through the wall with a blast of bricks and glass. Alarmed, the Urbanmech whirled around and spat out a stream of Autocannon shells that rattled Kyle's Shadow Cat from head to toe. Snarling, Kyle hung on tightly to his joysticks, fighting to get his crosshairs back on the Urbanmech.
Nikolai's twin medium lasers stabbed into the Urbanmech's right torso, stunning the light 'mech. Kyle stabilized his Shadow Cat just enough to snap off three ER medium laser shots, and the three red beams slashed armor off the Urbanmech's left torso. Unwilling to go down so easily, the Urbanmech turned back to Nikolai and let loose another torrent of AC 10 shells, shredding armor from the left thigh of Nikolai's Marauder. The hulking Marauder stumbled from the assault, its aim thrown off.
Samantha's Light Gauss slug tore into the wounded Urbanmech from afar, breaching its damaged right torso with a blast of flames and armor shards. The little 'mech wobbled and fought to stay on its feet, but when Kyle fed three more ER medium lasers into the 'mech's ravaged torso, the Urbanmech crumpled flat on its back and didn't move again.
Another Urbanmech and the Hatchetman went down, but another Arctic Wolves Marauder succumbed to enemy fire as well. Now, only Kyle, Samantha, Nikolai, and Thomas were left standing against a pair of Urbanmechs. With one short but brutal exchange, both sides let loose with their weapons. Standing close to their foes, both Urbanmechs hammered the Arctic Wolves with their Autocannon 10s and small lasers, shearing off even more armor from the damaged Marauders. In exchange, the Marauders loosed a volley of medium lasers and Autocannons, and in the case of Thomas, SRM 6 volleys. Both Urbanmechs withered under the assault, their chest armor melted into slag and their internal components cooked.
The pilots of the Urbanmechs were determined, however, and stood their ground as they released another volley of Autocannon fire. Samantha's Marauder flinched as shells tore at its center torso, sanding off armor at a rapid rate. Nikolai's own 'mech wobbled from the Autocannon rounds that showered its left shoulder, but neither 75-ton 'mech went down. The Arctic Wolves released another volley of their combined fire and both Urbanmechs came crashing down in a wreath of flames and sparks, leaving the Arctic Wolves alone in the street.
"I gotta punch out," Fury grunted from his downed Atlas. "Can't even get up, and I lost most of my weapons. I'll find somewhere safe to stay until the battle's over." With that, he popped open his Atlas' canopy hatch and climbed down his huge 'mech, then ran across the street and vanished into an alleyway.
"This is Arctic Wolf command to Desert Eagle," Nikolai tapped into the comm. "We've covered your flank from a rather nasty melee party. Do we regroup, or should I find other ambush teams?"
"Rejoin the invasion army," Desert Eagle responded. "You and the other support teams did your job well. The main army took serious losses, but we've nearly reached the city hall. Regroup with the invasion army at the city hall's plaza and await further orders. In a few minutes, Nexus will be ours."
Nikolai started marching his ragged Marauder down the street toward the city hall. "On me, Wolves," he said. "We've got a war to win."
Anxiously hoping that there weren't a few more Axmans lying in wait, Kyle trotted his Shadow Cat alongside his three fellow Arctic Wolves through the city and toward the central plaza. Upon regrouping with the primary invasion force, he saw that barely a company and a half of 'mechs remained, and they were in various states of repair. Still, there was a clear path straight to the huge city hall, and Kyle was eager to conclude this savage planetary war.
"Not so fast," warned a woman's voice on the comm. As she spoke, fifteen new contacts appeared on Kyle's radar, all of which came from the city hall and approached the invasion army's weary survivors. The 'mechs didn't match the typical designs of the Vargas Estate army, however. Kyle felt his insides go cold as he recognized the 'mechs: Ryoken and Vulture 'mechs, and one Ryoken stood at the front of the group. The woman's voice came from that particular 'mech.
"Who are you?" demanded one of the Alvarez Mechwarriors.
"I am the Vargas Estate's final line of defense," the woman responded. "This war is not won unless you can defeat me in fair combat, invaders."
"I recognize you," Nikolai realized. "General Abby, am I right?"
"You are right, Nikolai," Abby responded. "Well, invaders? Face me or turn back and never return to this city. Alfonso Vargas may have failed to defend his realm, but I am not weak like he is."
"Desert Eagle?" Nikolai asked his commander. "What's the call?"
Desert Eagle huffed a sigh. "Very well, men. Challenge General Abby and destroy her forces. We came here to win, and that's what we will do."
"We accept your challenge, General," Nikolai told Abby. "On these conditions: if my allies win, you tell us your true nature and what you want with Korla, and you will leave this world forever."
"Amusing," Abby sneered. "My terms are thus: if I win, the Vargas Estate is mine, and from there, I will conquer all of Korla."
"Bit of a tall order," Nikolai taunted. "But fine, I agree. Guys?"
The surviving Alvarez Mechwarriors voiced their assent, and they grouped with the Arctic Wolves to form twenty-three total 'mechs. Abby had fewer 'mechs, but they were Clan 'mechs and all were in perfect condition, making for an even playing field.
"This plaza will be our battleground," Abby declared, backing up toward the city hall with her men to make room for battle. "Prepare yourselves, invaders."
Kyle swallowed hard and watched Abby's men get into position. Oh, I'm prepared, all right.