"Damn, why'd I have to open my mouth?" Joker asked as the Charger ran to cut off Mags and Anastasia from the generator.
"Something I wonder every day." Anastasia said.
As the Charger moved near the generator the ground exploded around it. "Apparently the generator had vibromines set for light mechs implaced around it." Anastasia added, "This was another minor concern I had."
"Well there's one problem that took care of itself." Hap said as he studied the tactical display. The fortress was built on a hill over a river valley. There were multiple cuts, draws, and terrain features that they could use to even-the-odds. It also helped that everyone was focused on Anastasia and Mags.
"Gracias a Dios por las pequeñas bendiciones." Mags added. Hap could hear the stress in her voice.
"Thank God indeed," Hap said, "Joker, now's the time we improvise. I need you to slip up behind the Marauder. He's panic firing and his heat should be getting high. Send him over the top."
Joker laughed, "That's the one thing I'm better at then BBQing infantry."
"Try not to talk while you do it." Hap said, "I'm going to 'hop and pop' out of this river bed trench and engage the Cataphract. If I do it right they'll think that I'm more than one 'mech and give me more attention. Ladies stay focused on the generator."
"Yes my Armor." Anastasia said, but the synthetic transmission made it hard for Hap to know if she was annoyed, stressed, or teasing him.
Hap jumped his mech onto the bank and landed where he was angled slightly to the rear of the Cataphract. He lined up his cross hairs on the rear right shoulder, hoping the armor was thin and there was something explosive underneath. He sent a PPC bolt followed up with 10 missiles but didn't wait for them to hit as he jumped back down into the trench. He moved down the trench before jumping again onto the bank.
His targeting showed he had hit the Cataphract's right arm and side, but the armor was thick. He took another shot with both PPC and missiles and then disappeared back into the dry riverbed. He realized he was starting to run a little hot as well. He glanced at his tactical display to see that Joker was working his way closer to the two heavy 'mechs.
Hap ran up the embankment this time and as he came up a PPC bolt struck his right shoulder. He had the Cataphract's attention. He was just out of range for the Cataphract's AC10, which gave Hap an advantage, at least for a moment. He sent another barrage of missiles and a particle bolt at the 70 ton mech. The Cataphract started to step toward Hap.
Joker's Firestarter rocketed out of a draw and landed less than a hundred meters from the Marauder and bathed it in flame. The 'mech was already running hot and the arm mounted weapon pods were smoking and the long autocannon barrel was cherry-red. It sent another barrage from its PPCs and autocannon just as Joker attacked. The additional heat from the Firestarter's flamers made the 'mech glow bright red in the pre-sunrise twilight. It went limp as the safety systems engaged the auto shutdown.
Hap glanced over as Mag's jumped over the Charger as it lunged for Anastasia. The Marauder's autocannon hit the Jenner squarely in the leg but the PPCs passed harmlessly under her. The Cataphract and Marauder were too distracted by Joker and Hap to see it, but Mags was too far away from Anastasia to receive the ECM's protection. An automated weapon tower near the Jenner sprang to life and sprayed lasers at the light 'mech. A few ruby medium lasers found their mark and melted armor off the Jenner's chest and other leg.
Anastasia jumped out of the way as the Charger tried to perform its namesake. In spite of failing to connect the charge, the Charger pilot moved swiftly and caught Anastasia as she landed. He punched her once in the shoulder, and she blocked another blow with her arm. He attempted a sweeping kick as she jumped again and landed next to Mags. The Charger relentlessly moved to pummel the lighter 'mechs.
Without thinking Hap brought his PPC up to target the Charger. Then he heard the distinct thumps of artillery. Fear struck him as remembered Joker's comment of the river being a pre-registered TRP. He jumped his 'mech as far as he could away from the riverbed. This confirmed for Hap the Capellans were getting desperate. They were bringing their precious artillery into the fight.
Hap turned mid-air so he could engage the Charger when he landed. Before he could fire an artillery round slammed into the Charger. Mags had jumped away, but Anastasia took damage as she was mid-jump as the artillery round struck. The blast knocked the Charger flat on the ground. The fight was desperate enough they were calling down artillery on their own 'mechs.
Anastasia landed on the edge of a ravine as the Cataphract's PPC and Autocannon finally found their mark and struck the Valkyrie across the upper torso and chest. Anastasia's Valkyrie tumbled from view. Hap glanced down at his tactical display but her 'mech was still cloaked by the ECM. He had to fight the urge to chase after her.
"Generators down." Mags said, her voice was tinged with exhaustion. Hap looked up, she stood next to rock outcropping that almost looked like a cave. The red lights on the anti-air and automated weapon turrets began blinking out. A hundred meters behind Mags the dust and smoke had cleared, but the Charger was still on its back. Hap had to focus on the battle.
"Confirm A2 is down?"
Hap looked around, all the automated systems looked dark, and the automated towers weren't attacking him or Mags., "Confirmed, Anti-Air is down."
"I'm starting my descent now. Coming in weapons hot." Kate said.
Hap turned his tactical display to go from a topographic map to the two dimensional display with reference grids. He hadn't called for fire or air support in so long he was struggling to remember the steps. He wanted to know how Anastasia was doing, and the fact she wasn't talking implied some things he didn't want to think about. Hap exhaled slowly and steadied himself. He had to focus on the task at hand.
"Mags distract that Cataphract, stay in close to him and the Marauder so they can't use their big guns." Hap said as he fumbled through display settings.
"I'm on it, Hefe." Mags said as Hap glanced up to watch the Jenner sprint toward the much larger 'mech.
Hap noted the sun had risen now and the blue dawn was giving way to a bright sunny day. The sun was still behind the mountains, but the Marauder still glowed brighter than anything else. "Joker keep that Marauder overheated."
"What do you think I've been doing boss?" Joker replied.
"Same thing you always do, give people grief. Just get them lined up for Banshee 1." Hap said as he finally got his tactical display to show the grids. Just as he got his tactical display lined up the radio flashed, and the display jumped to show the Compact forces that were trying to call him. Hap cursed as noted the Compact forces were nowhere near the fortress and he was annoyed with this feature of tactical display that he had never seen it do before.
"Banshee 1 this is Coyote 1, prepare for a strafing run, I got 3 mech's in the open, Need you to run a North-to-South-". Hap almost had his display recentered when the proximity alarm inside the Griffin sounded. Hap brought up his left arm and leaned back as the Charger slammed into his left side.
Hap was forced to back-peddle and shuffle his feet to stay to avoid falling over. The Charger's hit stripped armor off his left arm and caused the large armor baffle to fold. The armor on his left torso and center torso also took extensive damage. Hap got his footing and jumped backwards and to the side as he fired. He had to ensure the Charger couldn't hit him like that again.
He could see the Charger had taken significant damage to its right leg from the artillery. He dropped the crosshair and fired his PPC and LRM at the mech's exposed leg. The PPC struck home and Hap was relieved to see the lightning dance around the hip, even as the missiles went wide and struck the assault mech's chest.
In spite of the injury the Charger hobbled to where Hap landed. Hap angled his right shoulder to bear the brunt of the 'mech's physical attack. He ducked under the Charger's right fist as the left caught him in the arm and crushed the armor baffle. The Charger tried to kick him, but Hap managed to shuffle his feet and then delivered a solid kick to the Charger's ruined right leg and two quick punches to its chest. The punches were almost meaningless given the Charger's armor and mass, but there was a satisfying snap as the Griffin's foot broke the Charger's foot actuator.
"Hefe we could use that air-support." Mags said. "I just lost two medium lasers"
"I'm in the pipe. ToT 30 seconds." Kate replied. "Just need to know where you want these lasers pointed."
Hap started to jump his 'mech backwards so he could concentrate as the Charger slammed its fist and delivered a sweeping kick that knocked Hap flat on his back. He braced as he fell and felt the wind escape his lungs. He struggled to breathe as he tried to right his mech.
The Charger took a step forward and raised its leg to crush his cockpit. Before it delivered the coup de grace the Charger turned its cockpit as half a dozen LRMs slammed into it. Hap turned his own cockpit so he could see Anastasia's Valkyrie standing on the edge of the hill. Her mech had two holes in the chest and the left arm was badly mangled. Hap felt a sense of relief as Anastasia raised Valkyrie's right arm and sent a ruby red laser beam into the Charger's shoulder.
"Banshee 1, this is Coyote 2, requesting a strafing run North to South beginning at grid 0501 and ending at 0517 with a return run south-west to north-east centered on grids 0214 thru 1508. I have 'mechs in the open. Adversary 'mechs are Capellan Confederation olive drab and yellow. Priority target is a CGR-1A1 vicinity grid 0512. Danger Close."
"Good copy Coyote 2." Kate said, "commencing strafing run now."
Hap could feel the ground shake and shudder as it was pounded by the lasers of the Stuka. He pulled with all his might to get the 'mech to roll to its feet and got away from the Charger as the Stuka came barreling down. He had just gotten safely away as the Stuka came in low and fast the fighter's wings were lit up with lasers. All three of the Cappellan 'mechs were caught in the barrage.
The Charger turned drunkenly toward Anastasia's Valkyrie. Hap was surprised it was still standing, but before it could take a step toward Anastasia she fired the Valkyrie's laser and LRM neatly shearing off the Chargers right leg. The Charger fell as Kate performed her second pass and again peppered the Charger with lasers, but on this pass she also fired the fighter's LRM rack and sent 20 missiles into the prone 'mech.
"You okay?" Hap asked, looking directly at Anastasia.
"Nothing, a few bottles of wine and a long hot bath won't fix." Anastasia said. Her voice no longer had the synthetic tone.
"That how I feel." Hap said as he looked at Mags and Joker. Both their mech's had taken significant damage. Mags' Jenner had lost its right arm, and there were numerous holes in her armor particularly along the legs and the other arm. Hap could also see the Jenner's engine shielding. Joker's Firestarter had faired better, but most of his armor was melted off.
The Cataphract and Marauder were trying to break contact and retreat into the fortress, and neither Joker nor Mags were in a position to keep up the fight.
"Banshee 1, adjust for another strafe run." Anastasia said, "Corridor north-east to south-west starting on grid 1501 and ending on 0108. Two 'mechs in the open. Priority target is a Cataphract, it's a-"
"Wait. Tight turn." Kate groaned, "Yeah I know about the Cappellan walking Frankenstein's monster abomination 'mech. Starting my run now."
Hap now had a good view to watch from the side as Kate again came in low and fast pounding their adversaries with laser fire. The Marauder raised its arm and the barrel of its autocannon to engage the Stuka but Kate corkscrewed her aerofighter so the energy weapons and autocannon rounds passed harmlessly through the air. The Marauder was then struck by a medium laser and a quartet of large lasers. Most of them struck the chest and torso. One of the lasers found the autocannon magazine and the 'mech exploded.
The Cataphract was trying to turn and get away from the Stuka, but it was caught sideways by the aerofighters lasers and long range missiles. The right arm and torso were destroyed but the 'mech was still up.
"Damn, vector me back in on him Anastasia, just give me an easier turning radius."
"Acknowledge, proceed to grid 1317, and commence another south to north strafing run."
"This is the most amazing air show I've ever seen." Joker said.
Hap tentatively approached the Charger. His sensors indicated it was still partially functional but the mechwarrior hadn't made an effort to get back up. There was gray smoke pouring out of a hole in the mech's chest. Hap remembered how he had been tricked by the Charger when it stayed down after the artillery strike. Hap put a PPC bolt into the smoking hole and the gray cloud turned black before there was a brilliant flash as the 'mech's fusion engine was breached.