Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my MechWarrior/BattleTech - Mass Effect crossover.
Today, we reach the end of the Battle of Pinnacle. This marks the penultimate chapter in the Clan Invasion story arc. What happens after that... well, you're going to find out soon enough. Some of you might even get giddy as a result.
For those of you who picked up the Battlefield 2042 in the last chapter, kudos to you!
As always, leave a review, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the MechWarrior/BattleTech or Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of BioWare, Electronic Arts, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, WizKids, Piranha Games Inc., etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
SABATON – Soldier of Heaven
Federated Commonwealth
Pinnacle
January 10th, 3051
Shepard winced as an Ultra AC/20 shell smacked into the armor on his 'Mech. Whirling his 'Mech around in that direction, he fired at the offending Thor that had attacked him, blasting off the weapon with the plasma bolus from his 'Mech's Plasma Rifle. On top of that, he fired the ER PPC's and ER Medium Pulse Lasers, finally killing the offending Clan MechWarrior.
As they moved over the debris and corpse laden terrain, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Something's not right, he frowned as he looked around. It's too quiet around here. He also didn't like how the route they were using took them past buildings that were still high enough to hide 'Mechs behind them.
He was about to recommend a route change when it happened. An Ultra AC/20 shell zipped right at him, missing his 'Mech by mere feet. "AMBUSH!" Wrex shouted. "The Clanners set up an ambush!" Right as he said this, two Thor's and a Mad Cat came out of nowhere, each 'Mech having been configured for close quarters combat.
"Pull back!" Shepard ordered. "We need to get some distance between ourselves and them!" Pulling back, he and the others fired back at the enemy 'Mechs, while the Clanners, knowing they had the initiative, fired back and pushed hard.
As they did so, Garrus realized that he was surrounded. "Help!" he shouted as more Clan 'Mechs closed in around him. "Shepard, help! I'm surrounded!"
"I've got you," Grunt shouted, firing the HAG 30 on his 'Mech. A Loki and Shadow Cat fell to the ground, the HAG having shredded the Loki, while the SRM's and Medium ER Pulse Lasers had cut the Shadow Cat apart. "I'll hold them off! You get yourself out of here!"
Garrus, realizing he had a window, quickly retreated, and just in time too. His 'Mech's back armor had been completely ablated, and Shepard noted damage to the 'Mech's center torso. He's lucky that the Fusion Engine wasn't directly hit, he noted. If that got hit, he'd have to eject.
Turning around, he found, much to his horror, that Grunt was fighting against numerous enemy 'Mechs. Most of them had backed off, while a single Executioner was engaging him in close range combat. Looking at a detailed scan of Grunt's 'Mech, Shepard realized that the armor on his 'Mech wasn't doing very well. "Grunt, get out of there!" he shouted.
"I can't, not with this bastard getting in the way!" Grunt shouted. Firing at the Executioner, Grunt accidentally hit one of the other 'Mechs, prompting it to close in and fire at him. It was then that disaster struck.
Shepard heard a roar of agony from Grunt as the HAG exploded, tearing through the 'Mech and ripping off one of the arms. Shepard was about to move in when Garrus got ahead of him. "Garrus, damnit! Get out of the way! I have to save him!" Shepard shouted.
"We can't!" Garrus shouted. "We've got more Clan 'Mechs inbound on our position! We have to leave. If we stay here, we'll die!"
"Grunt!" Shepard shouted.
"Go!" Grunt roared, fighting through the agony that was suffusing his veins. "Get out of here, Shepard! Go!" Just as he said that, the cockpit of his Atlas was speared by a lucky hit from the Executioner.
"GRUNT!" Shepard screamed as the Atlas Grunt piloted fell to the ground, lifeless. In that instant, Grunt, doing what he could to save Shepard, was dead, killed at the hands of the Clans. A cold rage suffused Shepard's veins as he tried to get in closer. Wrex, however, had grabbed onto his 'Mech using the had actuators. "LET GO OF ME!" Shepard roared with rage.
"WE HAVE TO GO, NOW!" Wrex shouted. "DON'T LET GRUNT'S SACRIFICE BE IN VAIN!"
That finally got through to Shepard, as he gave a howl of frustration before he turned to leave. Looking at the Exeutioner that was responsible for Grunt's death, he thought, I don't care who you are. I will find you, and I will kill you!
. . .
January 17th, 3051
Shepard awoke from the dream he had, before he began to weep silently as the nightmare passed out of his mind. It had been about a week since the demise of one of the members of his crew, a crew member that he had fought long and hard with. I'll miss you, Grunt, he thought silently. I'll make sure you get a burial worthy of Clan Urdnot. I will also make sure that the bastard that kills you pays for what he did.
Either way, you wouldn't want me to continue to mourn for you. You'd want me to kill the man that killed you and keep Pinnacle City from falling to the Clans. That is all that matters. He also knew, in a cold and logical way, that Grunt's sacrifice had allowed another AFFC force to retake more of the city.
Either way, Shepard knew that he wanted revenge, and he wanted it badly. I'll make that bastard pay for killing Grunt. I don't care if he's the Khan of Clan Jade Falcon or Clan Wolf. I will make that bastard suffer. Angrily, he got up and, moving into the 'Mech Bay, got his gear and equipment on, before stepping into the Mararuder II. Once the check up was complete, he advanced the 'Mech out of the facility and began moving into Pinnacle City.
The city was even more wrecked and damaged than it had been a week ago. The skyscrapers were now just half the height they used to be, with each one looking like broken bones that were sticking up out of the ground. Buildings that had once stood tall were now little more than piles of rubble, with some having corpses that were out in the open.
All of that was covered by a thick layer of snow that now covered the ground. With the storm cells having moved on weeks ago, the cold embrace of winter had now taken a hold of the ruins of the city. To Shepard, it was as though Nature was starting to mourn for the loss of life, and was doing her best to give the dead soldiers a bit of respite from the harsh realities of war.
As he advanced towards the city, he looked to see Garrus' 'Mech, along with Wrex's and Nihlus' approaching. Ever since Grunt's death at the hands of the Clans, the other members of the crew had mourned for him in their own way. Garrus, who felt responsible for what had happened to Grunt, had nearly drunk himself into a stupor. It took Nyreen, and the others, to get him to realize that Grunt had willingly made the sacrifice that he had.
"He wouldn't have done it for anyone else," Wrex had told him. "I'll miss the little pyjack, but he wouldn't want us to mourn for him forever. He'd be telling all of us, right now, to stop the Clans and to ensure that his killer did not escape. What better way to do so, than by holding the city against the Clans at all costs?"
As such, Garrus had dragged himself out of the gutter, and was now fit for duty once more. "Everyone ready?" Shepard asked.
"Ready," Nihlus reported.
"Good to go," Garrus nodded, his voice solemn and flat.
"Same here," Wrex nodded.
"Alright," Shepard nodded. Switching comm frequencies, he said, "Mason, you there?"
"I'm here," Mason replied. "Colonel just gave us orders. We're to retake the city center at all costs. If we do so, we'll not only hold the city against the Clans, we'll be able to drive them out."
"Copy that. How many cities have we lost, by the way?"
"Three, so far. We're still holding the rest, though I'll bet we'll lose another one today. If we hold the rest of the cities, however, we'll still win this Trial of Possession. Oh, and Shepard?"
"Hm?"
"I… I'm sorry… for what happened to Grunt. He… he was a good man, and a courageous MechWarrior. Once this Trial is over, and hopefully we'll have won, we'll give him the rest that he earned."
"I know. I'm not usually the vengeful kind, but I will make whoever killed him suffer."
"Please do. Bastard killed him in cold blood." With that, the comm clicked off, while a new item came up on Shepard's tactical map. Opening it, he examined the battle plan.
From what he could tell, Colonel Wright intended to use a diversion to draw away Clan forces from the inner city. Once the diversion was working, four lances of AFFC 'Mechs, along with several Combat Vehicles and Infantry forces, would swarm the center of the city and take it back by force. The plan hinged on the diversion working; if it didn't work, ASF's would come and bomb the forces, and allow the attack to continue. Risky, but worth a try, Shepard noted.
As they advanced towards the inner city, Shepard heard a comm burst. "The diversion's working!" he heard an AFFC MechWarrior report. "We've drawn away the hostile Clansmen!"
"Roger that," Wright said over the comm. "All forces, engage, engage, engage!" With that, Shepard threw his 'Mech's throttle to maximum, with he and the others advancing forwards as quickly as they could.
They advanced deeper into the ruins of the inner city, with more devastation becoming apparent. Massive chunks of concrete, along with smashed cars, craters in the ground and sinkholes where sewer systems had been made traveling through the area hazardous for any vehicle aside from 'Mechs. Combat Vehicles were scattered here and there, the charred and blackened hulls indicating that they had been smashed to pieces.
"Got a hostile up ahead!" Wrex reported. "Looks like a Thor configured for close range fighting! And he's got some friends too!"
"Take him out!" Shepard ordered. With that, battle was joined.
. . .
In another city, Celicia was fighting like mad as she, her mother, and dozens of other soldiers continued to push forwards over the debris laden, crater filled ruin of the city they were in. Bullets and laser beams zipped past them as they rushed to the next objective: a building that used to be a shop for clothes and shoes. Now, it was barely standing, with the facade having been destroyed by weapons fire. The fact that it hadn't collapsed was a compliment to the engineers that had built the place.
Sliding into cover, she leaned out and fired her M61B at a Clan soldier, scoring a direct hit to the hostile's chest. Blood exploded outward as the laser beam flash-boiled the water in the soldier's chest, blasting it apart in a steam explosion. That man fell over dead, his face twisted into a mask of agony.
Another one fired at her, forcing her to duck into cover. Nyreen, spotting an opportunity, tossed what looked like a Frag Grenade towards the Clansmen. Instead of detonating in an explosion, the grenade forcibly lifted four soldiers into the air, allowing the AFFC soldiers to gun them down. "Nice one!" one shouted at Nyreen.
"You're welcome!" she shouted in reply, before ducking down as gunfire whipped past her head. Leaning out of cover, Celicia fired her rifle once more.
Then, something happened. One moment, she was firing her rifle, the next, Celicia found herself lying on her back, a cold, numb feeling coming from her right leg. Gasping for air, she was about to move when her mother moved over head. "M-mom, w-what happened?" she asked.
"No time to explain!" Nyreen shouted. " We've taken the area, but you need help! MEDIC!" At that, another soldier rushed over, while another standing nearby opened a large case holding medical supplies.
"What happened?" Celicia asked, the fog surrounding her mind clearing. In response, the soldier, likely the medic's assistant, lifted her head. What she saw chilled her to the bone.
Where her right leg used to be, there was nothing but a stump, with her leg stopping abruptly just above her leg. Blood was seeping out of the wound, while a soldier used a tourniquet on what was left of her leg. That allowed him to clean up the wound, before slathering medi-gel onto the end. At that moment, the pain came.
Blinding, white hot pain erupted throughout Celicia's body. She screamed, a two-toned wail of agony as her mind was overwhelmed by the wave of agony that tore through her very being. All that was left was the animalistic instinct to seek relief from the terrible pain that surged through her. She writhed in pain, with the soldiers doing what they could to hold her down, otherwise she would tear open the wound once more "Momma!" she screamed as she squirmed, seeking relief. "MOMMA!"
"I'm here," Nyreen replied, having remained by her daughter's side all the while. Caressing Celicia's face, she said, "You're going to be OK, Celicia. They're going to take good care of you. I'll stay with you the whole way. OK?"
Tears streaming down her plated face, Celicia nodded, then steeled herself as the doctors placed something over the stump to protect it from further contamination. Agony tore through her once again, though to her credit, she forced herself to remain still so that the doctors could seal up the wound. A moment later, she felt a slight prick on what was left of her right leg, then cool and soothing relief flooded her veins. Her mind also began to become foggy, though that wasn't due to the painkiller that was now coursing through her veins.
"We stemmed the bleeding!" the medic informed Nyreen. "She lost a lot of blood, though! She needs a blood transfusion if she's going to make it! We're heading to the medical APC!"
At that moment, Nyreen realized that her daughter was still in danger. Using her biotics, she lifted her daughter up, before running over to the Heavy Tracked APC in question. Moving inside, she found medics and combat surgeons working like mad to treat the wounded, while the APC began driving to a field hospital, where the wounded could be more effectively treated.
Sitting down next to Celicia, Nyreen rolled up her sleeves. "Take my blood and give it to hers," Nyreen ordered the combat surgeon that had been assigned to Celicia.
"What?" he asked.
"My blood type's the same as hers," Nyreen explained. "She's your equivalent of a universal recipient." Tired and angry, she said, "Just do it!" Nodding, the combat medic swabbed the area where he would place the needle then, using a LEDx, found the correct vein and stuck the tube and needle there.
Nyreen felt a twinge of pain, then she watched as her blood began to flow through the needle and into Celicia's body. Once more, I'm doing what I can to ensure my daughter lives, she thought as her heart hammered inside of her chest, while the combat surgeon did what he could to save her daughter's life.
. . .
At Pinnacle City, Shepard fired the Ultra AC/20 mounted on his 'Mech, tearing copious amounts of armor plating off of a Thor that had gotten too close to him. Lashing out with an arm pod, he smashed through the armor plating, with the arm pod tearing through vital connections and wiring for the enemy 'Mech's left arm. Staggering back, the Thor stumbled, before falling over on it's back. Shepard fired, his face a mask of concentration as he blasted apart the enemy 'Mech.
"That's one more Clanner dead," a nearby AFFC MechWarrior growled. "He won't be killing anyone again."
"Agreed," Shepard nodded. Looking around, he could see the devastation that was being wrought throughout this entire battle. Combat Vehicles were duking it out at point-blank range, while infantry were literally bludgeoning each other with weapons. Shepard watched as an AFFC soldier used a vibro-knife on his person to gut a Clan foot soldier, while another one blasted an Elemental apart with a Thunderstroke IV Gauss Rifle.
Turning his attention back to the Clan 'Mechs, Shepard spotted more of them coming in. Ultra AC/20 primed and ready, he fired at them, with that offending 'Mech, a Nova that had the misfortune of looking towards him, being blasted apart when the MAHEM shell tore through the cockpit. That 'Mech fell over in an instant, while the others quickly sped up to close in for the kill.
Nihlus, spotting them, moved in with his Victor and fired his Ultra AC/20, while also firing his SRM-4 Launchers. An ER Medium Laser cut an angry red groove into his armor, which he answered with ER Medium Pulse Lasers. At the same time, Wrex moved to engage the enemy 'Mechs as well, Ultra AC/10's firing rapidly.
It was then that the Clan 'Mechs did something they didn't expect. Instead of pushing forwards as rapidly as they could, they moved to the side, with another 'Mech entering the field. As soon as he saw the 'Mech, Shepard, spotting that 'Mech, frowned when he recognized the shape. It's the Executioner that was used to kill Grunt, he snarled internally.
A moment later, a gruff voice came in over the comm. "Am I speaking to the freeborn MechWarrior whose sibko I killed?"
At first, Shepard decided not to reply, but then he knew that might not go over well. Keying his comm, he said clinically, "This is Commander Shepard of Mason's Cavaliers. Who might you be?"
"I am Sakhan Garth Radick," was the reply. "I remember seeing your 'Mech, Shepard, two weeks ago. I remember how I slew your fellow Lancemate. He fought bravely, though he died as all freebirths do: at the hands of a trueborn."
"You bastard!" Shepard snarled. "You killed him in cold blood! What did he do to you to deserve such a death?!"
"Aside from fighting the rightful rulers of Terra, nothing," Radick replied. "Now, I will face you in honorable combat. I will ensure that you join him in honorable death. After all, you have fought with honor and distinction before. Perhaps that -" He never finished the sentence.
Disgusted with the way Radick was talking about Grunt as a trophy, Shepard fired the Ultra AC/20 on his 'Mech, tearing armor off of the right arm of Radick's Executioner. "Shut up!" he snarled, the pain from losing Grunt still fresh. "You killed my friend in cold blood! This conversation is over! Bravo Lance, kill him!"
"With pleasure," Garrus nodded.
"So be it," Radick frowned. "If that is how you answer an honorable warrior, then that is how it will be. Fellow MechWarriors, silence his friends. I will defeat him in combat." With that, the battle was joined.
Moving behind a ruined building, Shepard narrowly avoided a hit from Radick's ER PPC. Aiming over cover, he fired two shells from his Ultra AC/20, before moving out of cover. The 'Mech staggered as Radick slammed an arm pod into his 'Mech, though Shepard replied with a close range burst from his ER Medium Pulse Lasers, before smashing a leg into Radick's 'Mech.
"Not bad!" Radick smirked. "Perhaps I was wrong about you after all, Shepard. It will make little difference. I will gut your 'Mech and mount your head as a trophy, so that I can remember your expression when I kill you."
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Shepard snarled.
Nearby, Garrus, Wrex and Nihlus were fighting like mad as well. Charging forwards, Nihlus smashed into the Mad Cat that was engaging his 'Mech. The enemy MechWarrior, not anticipating the assault, fought to keep his 'Mech steady, only for the war machine to fall onto it's back, smashing through the ruined remains of a building in the process. "Eat this, barefaced!" Nihlus snarled, stomping on the enemy 'Mech's cockpit before it could get up. A loud roar of anger was heard over the comm, then silence as the foot actuator of Nihlus' 'Mech crushed the cockpit of the Mad Cat.
Garrus and Wrex were focusing on a Kodiak that was getting too close for comfort to Shepard. Firing his LB 10-X's, Garrus forced the enemy 'MechWarrior to pay attention to him, allowing Wrex to blindside the enemy 'Mech with his Ultra AC/10's. Lashing out with a hand actuator, Wrex tore off armor from the enemy 'Mech, before firing the ER Small Pulse Lasers. With Wrex engaging the Clan 'Mech, Garrus fired on the other two 'Mechs in the enemy Star.
Shepard, all the while, was fighting off Radick, and a second Clan 'MechWarrior that was engaging him. "Pray to your gods, Shepard," Radick snarled sadistically. "They cannot help you now."
Radick was about to charge when Gauss Rifle slug smashed into his 'Mech's armor, forcing him to back off. Looking to his left, Shepard watched as a Nightstar entered the field of engagement. "Mason!" Shepard beamed, relief suffusing his veins. "You came just in time!"
"Was busy helping with the attack," Mason replied. "The Colonel sent me to reinforce you." Looking at Radick's 'Mech, he said, "I know what you did to Shepard. I'm going to make sure you suffer, Garth Radick."
"Bring it on!" Radick shouted. "I will kill you all, and claim your 'Mechs as isorla!" Again, the fight continued in earnest, with Mason keeping the other 'Mechs busy, while Shepard fought tooth and nail against Radick.
Eventually, Shepard sensed that he'd passed a critical point, as Radick's 'Mech was getting more and more torn up. Looking around, he could see Garrus and Wrex destroying the other Clan 'Mechs engaging them, with Wrex roaring as he cheered his victory. "No!" Garth shouted, a hint of panic in his voice. "I was destined to become Ilkhan of the Clans! I was destined to lead Clan Wolf to victory! I was destined to claim Terra by right of conquest!"
"Too bad," Shepard growled, "because the only thing you'll be claiming is your corpse, and your grave!" At that moment, Shepard mashed all of the firing studs, unleashing an Alpha Strike. "FOR GRUNT!" he roared as he fired every weapon on his 'Mech.
Garth roared with fury as the combined assault tore into his 'Mech, with the MAHEM shell from Shepard's 'Mech tearing into the XL Fusion Engine of the Executioner. Unwilling to die so easily, Garth charged forwards, even as the Fusion Engine began to go supercritical. He never got close enough, however, as Mason shot out the 'Mech's legs, toppling it over. Seconds later, the Executioner detonated, blasting it apart, and atomizing Garth in an instant.
Thus ends the life of Garth Radick, the man that killed Grunt, Shepard sighed. I did it, Grunt. I avenged your death; you can rest easy now. With that, he and the others began to retreat to make repairs. Garrus had lost one of his LB 10-X's, while Wrex had lost the armor on his 'Mech's center torso, rendering his Fusion Engine vulnerable to damage. Nihlus was the only one that had most of his armor intact.
I nearly lost my Ultra AC/20 and my right center torso, Shepard noted, looking at the angry red components. That was a hard fight. I'm just glad now that I survived. Absentmindedly, he began to hum a song that he'd heard from some power band.
. . .
For the next three days, they fought on, as the Trial of Possession began to wrap up. While a few of the cities on the planet had fallen to the Clans, the vast majority had firmly remained in the AFFC's control. While this meant that the results were beyond a shadow of doubt, the other Clans continued to fight in order to win bragging rights. In addition, Clan Wolf, angered by the death of Garth Radick, continued to fight on, though many of the warriors that continued to fight died at Shepard's hands.
It was on the fourth day since Radick's death that Shepard got some good news. As he stepped out of his 'Mech, Shepard noticed that everyone was cheering, with many people hugging each other, or jumping up and down happily. Confused, he was about to ask what was going on when Colonel Wright approached him, a smile on his face. "Shepard, I've got some good news," he beamed.
"What is it?" Shepard asked. "I could use some good news right now."
"I just got in word with HIGHCOM," Wright explained. "Clan Wolf, and the other Clans, have ceased fighting. As such, Ulric Kerensky informed my superiors of the good news: the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth have won the Trial of Possession. Pinnacle is ours!"
Hearing that, Shepard felt as though a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Sitting down on the catwalk, he looked on with a stunned stare as 'Mech Bay Technicians quickly went to work conducting repairs on his 'Mech. We did it, he thought. We saved the Inner Sphere! We won the war against the Clans! We won! Unbeknownst to him, some of the 'Mech Bay Technicians thought they saw the ghostly apparition of a Krogan standing behind Shepard, a smile on his face as he looked proudly at the man that had shown him how a true warrior should think and fight and what a true warrior should believe in.
Though most passed it off as an illusion, Garrus saw the apparition as well before it faded away. Grunt's spirit is at rest now, he thought. I just hope my wife and daughter have survived. It was hell down here, but now, Pinnacle is ours again.
(Author's Q&A)
MarauderPrime12: Thank you. The tornado was probably one of the best scenes.
SulliMike23: Agreed. As you now probably know, the battle has been won by the AFFC. The Inner Sphere's freedom has been secured... for now.
Guest: Thank you.
Just a Crazy-Man: Thank you for your kind words.
edboy4926: Thank you.
Guest: Thank you very much. I hope you have a good week too.
Chronus1326: Glad to see that you liked the tornado scene. Also, thank you for you review. I appreciate it.