Chapter Ten - Desertions

New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
11 March 3053

An ugly thunderstorm had descended upon the New Belfast plain, making aerial searches now pointless. But Erik had managed to discern the most probable location of Lisa and her mech, that being the nearby DeTerre collective farm, located some 500 kilometers from MacLeod City.

“It’s a hike, but not too tough for a fast mech like Lisa’s.” critiqued Erik as the car rolled to a stop at the front gate of the collective. “At top speed, it would only take five hours for her to get out here.”

The private security guard waved them through, having been informed of their arrival before hand. The car drove in and parked in front of the impressive manor house, located on the far eastern edge of the million square kilometer complex.

Baron Francois DeTerre, Lisa’s uncle, met Erik at the door. “I have heard of your plight. Yes, your guess about Lisa was correct, she was here. She seemed in her right mind when I saw her. Although I did note the absence of her infant child. I thought that odd.”

“Daniel is fine. He is in the care of Lady Marian as we speak.” said Erik. “Where is she now?”

“Early this morning, just before the storm came, she left the manor and drove her mech northward.”

“What’s up there?”

“Grain fields, obviously. Several collection points are also along that path, large granaries for storage of the harvested product and the means to transport them off the collective.”

“Transport?” queried Erik. “What kind?”

“Rail mostly, some have airstrips. The Orleans base has a ferrocrete pad for dropships, but no other facilities for those craft, so we don’t count as a true spaceport.”

“How far is Orleans?”

“Maybe 200 kilometers from here.”

“Any dropship launches from there this morning?”

“You don’t think....”

“I don’t know what Lisa’s up to,” said Erik frankly. “But I’m not ruling out anything.”

---

Surrounding each of the massive storage facilities was a fairly large town. These towns sprang up to house the workers of the collective that were assigned a given section of the fields. As time went on, service industries became a necessity in these towns and the collective allowed development companies to come in. Malls, banks, and other such places sprang up and the towns took life of their own, sometimes employing as many people in these support industries as they did on the fields.

Orleans was no different. With a population of 10,000, it was one of the larger of these towns. The large airstrip and dropship pad had made this town the center point of the eastern half of the collective. Erik and the Baron arrived soon after the storm broke, driving onto the tarmac of an airstrip still wet with the hard rain.

The Baron stepped out first, not taking the time to breathe in the fresh moist air. Erik did so, and regretted it, as while the rain gave the land about a new freshness, it enhanced the subtle and not-so-pleasant odor of the fertilizer on the nearby grain fields. He coughed.

“I forget you are not a native, General Iolair.” Said the Baron. “We go accustomed to the odors of agriculture.”

“Let’s find Lisa.”

Gil-Galad was parked not far away, standing unattended near a large pipeline. Erik scaled the ladder to the cockpit and looked inside, knowing full well that Lisa would not be here. He looked down at the Baron and confirmed with a nod her absence.

The Baron slipped away to speak to a nearby aircraft mechanic. He returned quickly. “Yes, there was a launch this morning.” he said mournfully.

“Let’s confirm that she was on that ship.” said Erik, clinging to one last hope. He knew better, but it was wise to be thorough.

The Palace
Dieron
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine
15 March 3053

As Victor had predicted, the Conspiracy forces quit the field of battle once they confirmed they could not reach the delegation without risking becoming trapped on world. They took to their dropships and left within hours of Joshua and Victor’s arrival in Seow.

The battle fought by the security forces did not go unrecognized. Takashi Kurita and Victor Davion both consented as their first joint decision to create a new medal for those who fought valiantly in the defense of the new Star Alliance. This new medal, the Defender of Dieron, was awarded to all the security battalion. Those who did not survive received the medal posthumously. Joshua placed the new award next to his Silver Sunburst, an award he’d earned after the battle of Donegal.

After the awards ceremony, Victor pulled Joshua aside with distressing news. “It seems Ryan’s allies are better organized than we feared. Already, mech regiments loyal to Duke Ryan have occupied Skye March worlds, have declared independence, and have declared war on the Combine.”

“And Tamar?”

“They are quiet, thankfully. Perhaps they fear the Clans more now than Kurita, but I don’t know.”

“What do you want us to do?”

“At present, nothing more than what you have already shown yourself committed to doing. Keep the Clans from taking advantage of this. I’ve already negotiated a new contract with the Dark Rangers, and have awarded them a small portion of land on the Tamar world of Babeski. I hope to use them to harass the Jade Falcons and keep them too busy to worry us right now.”

“What then you are calling this? A rebellion? A civil war?”

“I’m reluctant to give in to hyperbole. Ryan’s Conspiracy intends to choke the Lyran half off from the Federated Suns. To do that. he’ll need to occupy certain key worlds in the Terran Corridor. Already, some of my best regiments from both Lyran and Davion space are converging on those worlds. We’ll hold him.”

“And the damage he might cause to our new ally?”

“He’s going to have a lot more to worry about that the Kuritans in a few short weeks.” Said Victor sternly.

“Careful, my friend. Your father paid a lot of political capital for being heavy handed with the last Skye rebellion.”

“This is different. These aren’t disgruntled students waving banners. These are warriors who swore an oath to serve the Archon and  have now broken that oath. They have committed treason and they will be punished accordingly.”

---

Logan had come away with more reward than he’d ever hoped. In addition to the medals, Kurita had awarded all three Commonwealth military units with machines to replace their fallen numbers. For the Star Swords, it had meant a few of their own captured Omnimechs, including a vicious Smoke Jaguar design known as the Cauldron Born. That was a great prize indeed. For the Dark Rangers, it meant two mechs of a distinctly Kurita flavor: a new light mech known as SDK-9K Venom and a KTO-20 Kintaro missile platform. Doc took the Kintaro and Rohan claimed the Venom for his own.

The Cauldron Born was a fusion of the sleek squat construction of such mechs as the Uller and Black Hawk with the heavier firepower of the Loki. At 65 tons, it was a formidable opponent, having nearly half of its overall weight in armaments, greater than the feared Mad Cat.

The Venom was fast scout, capable of speeds of nearly 130 kph. Armed with pulse lasers, it was a vicious in-fighter. Already, Rohan was considering modifying the machine to make use of a hatchet weapon to amplify its infighting capabilities.

The Kintaro was a retrofit of a popular Star League machine. It mounted a single five-rack LRM and two six-rack SRM systems. The Star League version carried a Narc beacon system to help guide the missiles, but the Kurita machine carried instead a heavy laser. It was an effective, if uninspired, machine.

“Are you impressed?” asked Gwen as she peaked over the edge of the canopy of the Cauldron Born.

“Aye. I’d never thought I’d see the day when I’d want to give up on Galileo III.”

“Given that it is the third mech to bear that name, I’d say you’ve been forced to give it up quite a few times now.” Gwen teased.

“Touché.”

“You always preferred mediums over heavies anyway.” critiqued Gwen. “You’ll stick with Galileo. You’ve seen too much together to give up on her now.”

“Funny you say that.” Mused Joshua.

“What do you mean?” asked Gwen.

“Am I truly so pathetic as to have more loyalty to my machine than to my wife?”

“Don’t start this again.” Said Gwen exasperated.

Joshua looked at her sternly. “The moment of decision has come. You and Javier had every intention of going back with the rest of us to New Belfast.”

“Yes, we did.”

“But Yuri will need you. The Combine will need you for the days ahead. The Dragon needs agents he can trust, he can count on.”

“You’re tell us to stay. I don’t believe it. You’re lying. That’s not the real reason you’re telling me this.”

“No, it’s not. But it’s still true nonetheless. The Combine will need people like you. But, yes, there is another reason and it is that I need you to be as far away from me as possible. I need to put right what I’ve done here, what I’ve done with you.”

“Don’t lie to yourself, Joshua. You don’t want to go back to her.”

“I made a promise, a promise that I’ve now broken. That’s a sin for which I’ll have to make atonement. And I can’t do that if you’re with me.”

“You will regret this decision.”

“No more so than what I regret now.”

“Don’t let your guilt destroy what we have.”

“No, Gwen, what I’ve done may have destroyed what I already had.”

“O’Malley did that. Not you.”

“I’m not going to argue with you. My mind is made up and decision is final. You will remain with the Combine. It is your Khan’s order.”

“And will you leave us scattered forever, my Khan? Whatever personal reasons you and I may have to be together, there is still the simple fact that our Clan should be united as one. If you leave Javier and I here, then we remain sundered.”

“The Clan will be united…someday. But it is not now. Perhaps, once this crisis is over. Until then, it is good-bye.”

Gwen grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close. Her face was a mix of anger and grief. “I love you, Joshua. I always have. And I’m not giving you up now that I have you back. You may put light-years between us, but you will not change this.” She kissed him forcefully and then slid down the ladder to the ground.

Outbound
Dieron
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine
16 March 3053

“Well, we’re finally leaving the Combine.” said Logan.

“Again.” reminded Rohan.

“Under better circumstances, fortunately.”

“Much better. Between the Commonwealth and the Combine, we’ve got enough reward money to expand the unit.”

“Plus a lucrative mercenary contract with the Federated Commonwealth. What more could you ask.”

“Success with your recruitment drive.” offered Joshua.

“True.”

“Once we get to Babeski, hopefully, Cowboy will have gotten us some mercs.” Logan was referring to Cowboy’s trip to Outreach, the mercenary planet, to find new recruits.

“Well, we’ve already gotten a few.” reminded Rohan.

“One company is what I hope to put us at. A few raids into Clan space ought to net us enough Clan weaponry to outfit most of our forces.”

“A little overconfident, Logan?” said a voice. It was Ryan.

“Maybe. But I have some good allies.” He gave Joshua a nudge. “Allies with friends in high places.”

“It’s not just me,” said Joshua humbly. “To rise in this world you must do the difficult. That’s a quote from one of my favorite films, but it’s appropriate here. You did the difficult; You helped saved the Star Alliance conference.”

“Speaking of that, you guys want to hit Alyina first?” queried Logan of his troops.

“Alyina? That’s Pryde’s post.”

“To rise in this world you must do the difficult.” Repeated Logan.

“You’re nuts.”

“But we’re also good.”

New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
5 April 3053

Joshua looked out the window at the brightly lit dropship pad. It was dusk on New Belfast, and the lights made the area as bright as day.

“Finally home.” said Ryan. Joshua remained silent.

“Longing or guilt?” he queried.

“Both.” Said Joshua honestly. “I miss her terribly.”

“Which ‘her?’”

“That’s just it.” Said Joshua regretfully. “I don’t know.”

“I’ve spend the last month trying to figure you out, Joshua. Trying to get inside your head and I can’t. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to discover Gwen alive after all these years. In one sense, I don’t blame you for doing what you did. At the same time, Lisa needs you, as does Daniel. It seems to me, the choice is simple. You live in the now or in the past.”

“And which is which, Ryan? Lisa relives the past every night when her nightmares take her back to that camp, back to him. She feels him every time I touch her. She can’t escape her past. Apparently, neither can I.”

Joshua got up to disembark.

The gangplank lowered and Joshua stepped once more into the air of his adopted homeworld. As he looked out over MacLeod City spaceport, he suddenly realized how far away everything seemed to him. Gwen and the events of his stay on Dieron now seemed a distant memory. But being back here, back on this world, even with its evil memories, brought with it a certainty that had eluded Joshua until now. It was if in that single instant, breathing the air of his home that Joshua’s confusion faded.

“It is good to be home.” He said after letting out his breath.

Ryan walked up behind him. “Yes, it is. For one thing, I’m tired of Japanese food.”

Joshua laughed. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed an honor guard approach to welcome them. At its head was Erik Iolair.

“Welcoming us home a bit formally.” Said Ryan. “But then again, I guess we are heroes of the realm now.”

“Guess so.”

Erik Iolair marched forward to greet them as they came off the gangplank. Despite the formality of the honor guard, it was apparent that Erik was bottling some intense emotion. Something was amiss.

“Erik?” asked Joshua. “What’s wrong?”

In response, Erik threw a quick right-handed punch that flattened Joshua. Stunned and surprised, he made no attempt to retaliate, but merely sat on his haunches and rubbed his chin.

“What the hell was that about?”

“Hey, Erik,” intervened Ryan. “Remember Lisa reminded us to be brothers?”

“She did,” said Erik to Joshua. “and, as your brother, it is my solemn duty to kick your ass.”

Ryan moved to restrain Erik. “Wait a minute, Erik. What’s going on?”

Erik paid him no heed save to struggle against him in an effort to get to Joshua, who was still sitting on the tarmac in surprise. “How could you be so stupid?” Erik spat at Joshua.

“Ryan, they know. Somehow they know. And that means…”

“Yeah,” said Erik. “She knew too.”

“Knew?” Fear crossed Joshua’s face. "Knew", not" know." Past tense. “What do you mean ‘knew?’”

“She’s gone, Joshua.”

Joshua came to his feet with lightning speed. He dashed past Erik and ran to a nearby jeep. He jumped in and roared off to the castle.

“We’d best follow him.” Said Ryan.

---

Joshua reached the castle in record time. He ignored the angry glares he got from the castle staff as he ran up to his suite. The room was as he remembered it, but no Lisa.

“She’s not here.” Said Erik. He and Ryan had chased Joshua all the way from the spaceport.

“Daniel?”

“Safe and sound.” Said Erik. “He’s with your sister-in-law right now.”

“What the hell happened?”

“We found two vidchips. They should explain all.” said Erik, walking over to the vidchip player. He put in the first. Lisa appeared on screen in a well furnished bedroom. It was not their room at Castle MacLeod, however.

“It appears to be filmed in a guest room at Manor DeTerre.” said Erik, answering Joshua’s first question.

“This message is for my husband, Joshua. Word has reached me of some of your actions on Dieron. As angry as I should be for your infidelity, I cannot be. I don’t blame you. I have been anything but a model wife to you. You are a human being with desires and needs just like the rest of us. I cannot fill them. You had always been hopeful that I could someday, but we all know now that your patience did indeed have a limit. I’m sorry I failed you.

“I have then, made the decision to leave New Belfast for a time. Perhaps I will find fortune or a new love of my own. I wish you the best. We fought as hard as two people could to win our dream, but O’Malley’s legacy proved too strong. Much like Garrison, it was a battle we could not win no matter how hard we fought. Farewell, dear Joshua.”

Joshua slumped into his sofa. “How…?”

Erik quickly switched chips and showed Joshua the other chip. “That one we found in her mech, abandoned at the dropship launch pad in Orleans. This next one we found in this room, delivered as I understand it by ComStar courier. This should answer your question.”

The second chip was, of course, O’Malley’s initial message and recording of Joshua’s tryst with Gwen. All Joshua could do as he watched his infidelity unfold on screen was shake his head.

Erik turned to Ryan, now satisfied that Joshua was fully aware of the damage he had done. “There is also another matter, one pertinent to the Star Swords as a whole.”

“Juan.” Said Ryan.

“You heard then?”

“Joshua told me he had abandoned Evcilier for Port Moseby.”

“Without orders from me or presumably Joshua, yes. Daisaku’s been trying to garrison Evcilier with his battalion, but he’s stretched thin and if the Falcons find out, we’ll not hold either world.”

“We’d best convene a command staff meeting at once. With what’s left of us.”

---

It took Joshua an hour or so to gather up his things. As he was finishing gathering his effects, Christopher and Marian came in with Daniel. Joshua noticed their arrival, but made no effort to look them in the eye.

“We had heard you had returned.” Said Christopher.

“Yeah, dropship touched down about an hour or so ago. I was just gathering some things.” He paused. “I have forfeited my privileges to call this my home.”

“Isn’t that the truth?” said Christopher angrily.

“You knew Lisa was not herself. You knew what she had undergone, what it had done to her.” Retorted Joshua.

“And that excuses what you did? What of your promise to her, Joshua?”

Joshua tossed Anduril in its scabbard at Christopher’s feet. “If you want justice for her, then run me through and be done with it. I might even thank you for it.” Joshua stared at the floor, still refusing to meet his eyes. “Otherwise, give me my son and let me go.”

Marian approached and gave Daniel over to Joshua. Like her brother, her face was twisted in anger, but unlike him, she said nothing.

Christopher bent down and picked up Anduril. “You still have your duties to the Commonwealth and to this world. You will need this, General.” He said Joshua’s title with a coldness that made Joshua’s hair stand on end. Joshua took the proffered sword without a word and the pair departed.

Joshua moved to the mantelpiece, where he and Lisa had kept their photos of old and present friends. Here normally sat photos of Daisaku, Erik, Ryan, but also of Gwen and Daniel O’Brian. Joshua noted that Lisa’s contribution to that collage were now absent. Only Joshua’s remained. Joshua set Daniel down on the couch and made to gather up the pictures in their frames. The first he set his hand upon was the old photo of Gwen.

Joshua recoiled from the photograph as if bitten. He stepped back and in a burst of anger and shame, he slashed Anduril across the mantelpiece, smashing all the pictures in one mighty blow. He brought the sword around again and smashed it straight down against the stone mantelpiece. The blade caught on the lip of the stone and snapped in two.

Aroused by the noise and the sound of Daniel’s crying, Christopher and Marian dashed back to the room. But they found only the smashed photographs and a broken sword. Joshua and Daniel had already left.

Star Swords Command
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
12 April 3053

“The staff meeting is in five minutes, sir.” Reminded Mechlanthon.

“Thanks for the reminder.” Said Joshua. “Oh, and I did not thank you for preparing quarters for me here on base.”

“I am sure they are a bit more Spartan that what you are accustomed to at the palace, but I hope they serve your purposes.” Said the Clansman. “I must confess, I am a bit confused about this whole affair. Had I been in your shoes and been reunited with an old and dear friend as you were, coupling with her would have been a perfectly appropriate way to celebrate the reunion. But that is not so among the people of the Inner Sphere, quineg?”

“Nor among the Wolverines. I suppose when you grow your children in iron wombs as trueborn clanners are, the idea of family and all that goes into it is a bit alien. The Wolverines, and certainly the Inner Sphere, never developed such technologies and cultural realities that came with them. Family still matters, and loyalty thereto is very important.”

“But I do not see how you violated that. Perhaps I will not. As you say, there many differences between my people and yours.”

“Your way is simpler.” Said Joshua quietly.

Mechlanthon took that as a hint to change the subject. “It is time.” He said.

Joshua stood up and made his way down the hallway to the briefing room, with Mechlanthon following. He walked into the briefing room to see Daisaku already sitting at the table. “You’re early.” Said Joshua.

“I thought it appropriate, given what I had heard happened. Lisa?”

“Is gone.” Said Joshua flatly. “If you want to lecture me, hit me, or otherwise make me feel bad about it, get in line.”

“It was my idea, Joshua. I should never have put it in your head.”

“It was already there, let me assure you.” Confessed Joshua. “I guess it just needed the right person to come along.”

“As to that rumor, is it true?”

“That it was Gwen? Yes, she and Javier both survived New Vision also. They’ve been serving in the Combine much as we have here in the Commonwealth.”

Daisaku shook his head. “She might have forgiven you if it had been anyone but her.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“A one-night stand, a roll in the hay with a total stranger, with someone who meant nothing to you. Lisa might have forgiven you for that. Hell, when I made the suggestion that was what I had in mind also. But not this. Not with her, not with Gwen, of all people.” Daisaku looked at Joshua, who clearly wasn’t following Daisaku’s train of thought. “Don’t you understand? Gwen doesn’t mean nothing to you. There was a time when she meant everything to you and Lisa knows that. You would have come back to Lisa from a nobody.”

“I came back to Lisa from Gwen. I knew what I did with Gwen was wrong, that it was a mistake. I knew it when it started.”

“But it didn’t stop you.” Said Daisaku. “Gwen was everything you ever wanted. How could you say no to that?”

“Are you implying that is why Lisa left?”

“Why else?” said Daisaku. “Joshua, you did more than break a promise. You abandoned her….for the one you really wanted. And now, Lisa is gone. And you are going to have to find a way to live with it.”

Joshua slumped into his seat just as the arrival of the other officers brought Daisaku’s stern comments to a close.

End of Part One  

Part Two

Chapter Nine - The Battle for the Future

Castle MacLeod
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
10 March 3053

Daniel had been rather lively that morning, getting Lisa out of bed far earlier than she would have wished. Still, with her life having so little joy, being able to spend time with her son was one of the few things Lisa did not mind having to trouble herself with.

At almost four months, Daniel was growing fast. Lisa frequently looked with amazement on him, and sometimes horror. “He looks too much like his father. Every fiber of my being wants to love him, but his father’s dead face come to life here prevents that.” She cursed her lot in life and slumped down in the couch after nursing him.

She turned on the holo-viewer to watch a mindless soap opera. Lisa couldn’t help but compare her plight to that of the boring 2-dimensional characters she saw portrayed on the viewer’s pseudo 3-D screen.

She looked over at the family portrait she’d had made before Joshua took off for Dieron. He had not seen it yet, having to leave the day after the photograph was taken. Lisa had gotten the pictures back from the developer two weeks before. Joshua was in his uniform, with all decorations and medals. She was in a dress, beautiful but anything but military, something she was unaccustomed too still. And Daniel in a cute little baby outfit that clashed strongly with his parents’ more dignified apparel. Still, contrasts and all, the photo gave the illusion of a happy family.

“I’m not sure which is more fraudulent.” she mused out loud. “Myself as one of those distraught women on the screen or this image of me as happy wife and mother.”

“You are getting better.” came a voice, startling her.

It was her brother, Christopher. “What brings you here, Chris?”

“Comstar acolyte’s here to see you. I came up to summon you.”

“You couldn’t take the message for me.”

“Nay, he’s under orders to deliver it to you alone.”

“Can you watch Daniel for me then?”

“And spend time with my nephew, of course.”

As Lisa stood up, Chris reached out to her. Taking her hand, he gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t be so down on yourself, Lisa. You’ve come a long way since your captivity.”

“I know. But not is all well yet. Joshua and I still have problems. I worry when his patience with me will wear out.”

“You worry too much.” complained Chris. “Go see to your message.”

It took five minutes to meet with the acolyte and obtain the vidchip of the message, sent to her from Dieron in the Draconis Combine. “Something from Joshua, I hope this is good news.”

She returned to her room and dismissed her brother. She turned off the soap opera to put the chip into the player. She turned to the viewer.

The screen did not immediately light up. Instead a voice over began. A voice she recognized: Richard O’Malley.

“It has been a long time, Lady Lisa. Not since I watched you cut down my brother have I dared to make contact. I know you bear no love for me after what has happened. I know you have no reason to trust my words, so I will let these images tell you their story. This is what your beloved husband has been up to on Dieron.”

His voice faded out and the screen came to life with a darkened view of a hotel suite. A figured entered the room. She recognized Joshua. “What the…” she heard him saw and watched him draw Anduril with a flash. He began to fight with an attacker in black. He defeated his opponent.

“No, Joshua!” she pleaded. The attacker was a woman.

“Who sent you?”

“Don’t kill me, Joshua. You’ll never live with yourself if you do.”

“Who are you?”

His attacker removed her mask. Lisa leaned forward. There was something familiar about her face. Her eyes darted to the mantle where Joshua and her had kept old photos of friends long gone. Her eyes gazed on Daniel, her first fiance, and then moved to Joshua’s lost love: Gwen Laidir.

“Dear God. She’s alive.” thought Lisa, recognizing her as the one in the video. She turned back to it.

“God, I’ve missed you. Four years is too long.” Lisa heard Gwen say affectionately.

Gwen proceeded to explain how she had survived. Lisa listened and watched, enraptured by what was playing out on screen.

“And you? What has changed about Gwen in these past four years? You certainly aren’t any better at swordplay.” Joshua asked of Gwen.

Gwen laughed. “Ok, you’ve got me there.” She paused. “God, you have no idea how good it is for me to look in your eyes, to hear your voice, to touch you.” Lisa watched as Gwen reached out to touch Joshua.

“If you’ve been following my progress, then you no doubt know about that.” said Joshua. He was talking about the ring.

“Yeah.”

“I love her, Gwen.” Lisa let out her breath to hear that.

“Who are you trying to convince? I know why you did it. I know you didn’t know I still lived. But I’m here.”

“Bitch! She’s trying to seduce him!” snarled Lisa.

“I’m alive and everything we ever wanted could be ours.” Lisa saw Gwen tug on Joshua’s finger.

“She took off the ring! What the hell? No, this isn’t happening. He’s not…” Before Lisa could even finish the thought, she saw her husband reach out and pull Gwen into his arms. She saw them kiss. She saw her lead him to the bed. The camera did not track them into the bedroom, but the audio continued with the sounds of love making.

“This is a trick…this can’t be real. It’s just O’Malley trying to mess with me.” Lisa thought to herself. “It’s a lie….it has to be.” Her heart ached within her. “Joshua wouldn’t do that!” she cried out aloud. “He promised!”

---

 “What do you mean she’s gone?” snarled Erik as he bolted up the stairs. Three hours had passed since Lisa had received the message.

Christopher tried to keep up with the lithe aerospace pilot. “I left her after she got the Comstar message. I hadn’t seen her since. When I went up to tell her you were here, she was gone. I wouldn’t have thought anything of it except that she left Daniel behind and he was screaming.”

“Something is amiss.” said Erik, at best an understatement. He knew Lisa would not have left Daniel unattended. “With 4th Battalion AWOL, it’s not as if we don’t have enough problems.”

“Sir!” cried a voice. It was a Star Swords mechwarrior in 1st Battalion. Erik and Christopher both paused as the man entered the stairway. “Hanger reports Gil-Galad is missing. Deck officer says Lady Lisa took it out about three hours ago and hasn’t come back.”

“What the hell is she thinking?” said Erik to Christopher.

“She seemed depressed, but no more than usual when I saw her.”

“What was in that message?” demanded Erik.

“I don’t know.”

“Then let’s find out.” said Erik. He turned to the mechwarrior. “Sergeant, scramble a patrol flight. I want that mech found.”

“Yes, sir.”

Erik walked into the room. Marian was there with Daniel, who had calmed down and was sucking happily on a bottle, oblivious to his mother’s absence. Without a word, he walked over to the vidchip and pressed play.

The voice-over began. Erik went pale. “I know that voice.” he said softly. “O’Malley.” Then the screen flickered to life.

The two of them watched as Lisa had. Erik’s eyes widened as he also recognized Joshua’s opponent.

“My God, she’s alive.”

“Who?” asked Christopher, confused.

“Her.” Said Erik, pointing to Gwen’s old picture. “Gwen Laidir. Joshua’s old girlfriend. That’s her in the video.” Erik looked back at the screen. “He wouldn’t…oh, God, he would.”

“How could he?” said Christopher in anger and shock. “He married my sister!”

“Could it be doctored?” asked Marian, peeking in. “Someone trying to hurt Joshua and Lisa? Knowing her mental state and all?”

“Richard O’Malley certainly might try something like that, but he wouldn’t know to use an image of Gwen.” Said Erik. “No, this is for real. That son-of-a-bitch.” He left it vague as to whether he was referring to O'Malley or to Joshua himself.

Dieron
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine
10 March 3053

Joshua paced his hotel suite, pausing only occasionally to watch as the morning sun peaked through his window. Equally pensive, Gwen sat in the living area, reviewing reports. “You’re driving me nuts.” She griped. “Would you just sit down!”

“Plots within plots, schemes, conspiracies. This afternoon is the signing ceremony. If these people are going to move, it’s going to be today.”

“And you think I don’t know that?”

“Of course, you do.” Said Joshua, resuming his pacing.

“Well, sitting here isn’t helping either one of us. Why don’t we get out of this place and double check security measures?”

“Good idea.”

---

The pageantry of the opening ceremonies was here duplicated in the grand ballroom of the Palace. The heads of state had assembled and color guards bearing the flags of both nations had processed and placed their banners in their respective places behind the table. The press was here, awaiting the historic signing.

Joshua checked to make sure Anduril was neatly in place at his hip as the procession began. The representatives of all the nations were present to witness as Victor Davion and Takashi Kurita signed the Star Alliance into reality. He let out his breath nervously. “This had better work, Joshua. Everyone in here is trusting in you.”

Joshua looked about the room and saw Yuri, Gwen, and Javier standing with the Kurita crowd. Among his own group stood all the representatives of the Federated Commonwealth, a much smaller group than the native Combiners. Gwen noticed his gaze and he winked at her. She smiled and then diverted her attention back to the main group.

The herald announced the presence of the first arrival in the procession: Duke Ryan.

“His grace, Ryan Steiner, Duke of Porrima, Lord of the Skye March.” said the Herald, first in Steiner German, then in Davion English, and finally in Kurita Japanese.

The next person in line was Melissa Steiner. “Her majesty, Duchess of Tharkad, Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth.”

The final person of the Commonwealth procession brought a smile to Joshua face. Victor returned the grin as he stepped forward for his own list of titles to be announced.

“His highness, Victor Ian Steiner Davion, Duke of New Avalon, Archon Prince of the Federated Commonwealth.”

Victor walked past Joshua and joined his cousin and mother at the Signing Table. With that, the Kurita delegates entered the room.

First was Hohito Kurita. “His highness, Kurita Hohito, Prince of Dieron.” Joshua’s eyebrows went up at that. He’d not been aware that Theodore’s eldest son had been given the rulership of the Dieron District.

Following him was his father. “His majesty, Kurita Theodore, Prince of Luthien, Gunji no Kanrei, heir-designate of the Draconis Combine.”

The final entry to the room sent chills through the entire crowd. Takashi Kurita rarely showed himself in public in recent years. Joshua had never seen the man, and although he’d spent a great deal of time in the presence of royalty, Takashi even awed him.

“The Dragon, Kurita Takashi, Duke of Luthien, Coordinator of the Draconis Combine, Unifier of Worlds.”

Takashi slowly and painstakingly made his way over to the table. Joshua knew the Coordinator had been against the alliance. Theodore held far too much support to be opposed however. His slow pace showed his reluctance to sign the document he felt would destroy his nation.

“Your nation won’t die today, Takashi-sama. If anything, you’re signing into existence its salvation.” thought Joshua. “We must stand together or the Clans will destroy us one by one.”

“Today,” said Victor Davion to the crowd. “We begin a new era, where the peoples of the Federated Commonwealth and the Draconis Combine need no longer live in fear of one another. With the threat of total annihilation over our heads from the hated Clan armada, we now join forces to defeat this common foe.” Both men sat down and picked up their pens.

Joshua marched to and fro behind the press line, nervously watching the proceedings. Victor and Takashi Kurita went to the table and sat. “This is it. The signing of the Star Alliance treaty.” thought Joshua. “Now is the time for the enemy to act.” Joshua’s eyes darted to Ryan Steiner, his chief suspect. Steiner casually sneezed as the room grew silent. Looking about embarrassed, he wiped his nose with a handkerchief and stepped back.

Joshua suddenly noticed Logan making his way through the press crowd towards the table. “That’s it! The signal.”

“For Skye!” screamed Logan suddenly, rushing forward. Screams erupted from within the crowds.

“He’s got a gun!” howled someone. Joshua noticed the Stealthy Foxes and ISF troops move towards their charges, but knew they would not make it in time.

Logan’s flamer pistol was drawn. Joshua also darted forward, trying to push through the mass of reporters to get to him.

Javier reached him first, knocking Logan down and skewing his shot. A blast of hot flame caught the table on the corner and setting it alight.

“Treachery!” screamed Takashi. “We are betrayed!”

“Hai!” said Yuri. “This is a scheme of the enemy to destroy us.” She raised her laser to fire at Victor, but Gwen clubbed her unconscious before she could shoot.

It had worked perfectly. Javier had guessed correctly that someone had choreographed the entire assassination. He had made certain both Logan and Yuri were there, so that the plan would go off as the conspirator had planned. Joshua was not about to let it go to fruition however. But he knew that someone would have to trigger the hit, and Joshua had been watching for the signal.

“Steiner!” screamed Logan as he came back to himself from beneath Javier’s grasp, before Joshua could shout an accusing cry of his own. Duke Ryan looked mortified and Joshua noticed his movement towards the balcony.

“Seize him!” ordered Joshua. “This is his doing.”

“I don’t think so, General.” A huge mech fist burst through the glass doors of the balcony to rest at Steiner’s feet. He stepped into it and was carried outside upon it. The Fox Fives ran up and fired on him, but their small arms could not hope to penetrate the armor on the mech’s hand. Joshua recognized the mech as Ryan’s own Banshee, presumably piloted by someone else.

Joshua’s pocket communicator beeped a signal and he pulled it out to listen. “Joshua, we’ve got mechs inbound. They’re dropping in on the city. Looks like three regiments of them.”

“As predicted.” Replied Joshua, his worst fears realized.

“Gwen!” Joshua called. “We’ve got company. Alert the Genyosha and the Dieron Regulars and get to your machine.”

Gwen released Yuri and stood up to leave. Like Logan, the interruption had been enough for her to shake off her programming. She was still dazed from being clubbed however.

“General, what has happened?” demanded Victor, grabbing Joshua as he set off to leave. His vice-like grip told Joshua he’d best explain or he’d never make his mech in time.

“Steiner plotted to have you and Lord Kurita assassinated, hoping to set off a war.” explained Joshua quickly. “It was called Operation: Amaris.”

“Named for Stefan Amaris.”

“The ultimate betrayer. With the strange incident concerning Yuri and Logan earlier this week, I knew someone was planning on using them to ruin the conference.”

“You knew that and still let them in here?”

“Under close watch. I was hoping Steiner or whoever was responsible would tip his hand.” Joshua shook his arm free. “And he has. Now, your Highness, get yourself and your mother out of here. The ISF have turned on Lord Kurita and have mech forces inbound on the city. My bodyguard battalion is all that stands between them and you.”

“How many?”

“Three regiments.”

“Dear God. I’m coming with you once my mother is safe.”

Joshua gave no answer. He was already on the move, worried about even the moment’s delay.

---

Joshua dropped into the cockpit of Galileo III. He started flipping switches like mad without even closing the hatch. The mech hummed to life and despite Ryan’s earlier complaints to its jury rigging, it seemed to be running as smoothly as always.

Joshua quickly undressed down to his boxers, knowing full well that the heat of the cockpit would not agree with his dress uniform. He yanked the cooling vest from its locker as he marched the machine forward. A Kurita Wolf Trap moved up beside him.

“Talk to me, Gwen. What do we have?”

“Two mech regiments within the perimeter and closing fast on the Palace. The third dropped farther away to tie up the Genyosha.”

“As predicted. Any ID?”

“10th Skye Rangers are the ones out in the plains. The 2nd Kearny Highlanders and a regiment that matches no known Davion or Steiner force are in the city.”

“Those are probably your ISF folks.”

“That would be my guess as well.”

 “God, this is ugly. ETA?”

“Five minutes.”

“Goddamn! Didn’t your people see them coming?”

“Ie. Our own plans have undone us.” snarled Javier.

“What do you mean?”

“The ISF must have disabled the early warning system to allow themselves a covert deploy.”

Galileo III moved into a run, heading for the center of the city. “Ryan!” Joshua screamed. “Where are you?”

“We’re on the move. We’re holding the spaceport for the time being, with the Northwind Highlanders harassing us. If Logan doesn’t get his ass down here, he can kiss his mechs good-bye.”

“Roger that. You hear him, Logan?”

“I heard. I’m stealing a car, hope no one minds, and I’m high-tailing it down to the port. I just pray no mechs get in my way.”

“Joshua, we’ve moved the staff into some armored personnel carriers.” reported Javier. “We need your company to escort them out of the city.”

“And your troops?”

“We’ll hold the line here. I don’t know if any of my mechwarriors are under secret orders by Director Indrahar or not. I can’t risk it.”

“Then guard those trucks!” snapped Joshua. “They’re all in there together. My unit’s cut off from here.”

“We’ve got a battalion of mechs closing fast.”

“I know. Gwen, Yuri, you’re with me.”

“As am I.” said Victor, his massive Daishi moving out from the hanger.

“Very well, your Highness, but you’re taking orders from me.”

“Understood. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Their lance was a hodgepodge of all weights and technologies. Yuri had her Raptor Omnimech, a light. Victor was in his Daishi, a Clan assault. Joshua had Galileo III, a Clan medium, while Gwen piloted her Wolf Trap, a medium of Inner Sphere tech. It was all that stood between the Palace and the attackers.

---

It was fifty blocks to the spaceport from the Palace and it meant going right through the enemy mechs. Doc took the wheel and drove down those city streets like they were a Terran freeway. They had been cleared of cars by Imperial edict. All loyal Draconis citizens on Dieron were to watch the signing live on TV. That helped.

An ISF Urbanmech turned the corner and marched into the center of the street. Doc swerved, throwing all passengers against the left side of the car. The Urbanmech pilot took a shot with its heavy autocannon, tearing up the road but unable to strike the fast moving car.

“Move it! We’re a target out here.” Logan stepped on Doc’s foot, pressing it harder against the accelerator.

“If you two get us killed, I’m going to haunt your ass in hell.” snarled Cowboy.

The car sped away, the Urbanmech not bothering to pursue. The ground began to shake as dozens of mechs marched about the streets. Doc skillfully dodged the marching feet as he passed the mechs of the ISF regiment.

“Those look like Marik variants.” said Rohan, assessing the mechs as they passed. “Those guys aren’t ISF. They’re somebody else.”

“Some sort of homegrown unit?”

“Perhaps.”

Heavy weapons fire greeted them as they reached the outer perimeter of the spaceport. A Highlander Archer was firing volley after volley of LRMs at an invisible target, cloaked by buildings and smoke some distance away. The foot of the massive machine had crushed the chain-link fence. Doc stopped the car.

“Everybody out!” he ordered. The four mechwarriors darted out of the vehicle, leaving it running. They climbed over the smashed fence and onto the tarmac.

PPC fire tore into the Archer from within the smoke. A Star Swords Mad Cat closed the distance and followed up with lasers.

“Goddamnit, Logan, get your men moving!” swore Ryan Smith. “We can’t hold these guys off forever.” The four men ran past him into a nearby hanger building.

“I’m working on it.” snapped Logan in return. He half jumped up the ladder of The Nightmare, wincing with the pain of his injured leg.

“You can’t pilot a mech with a broken leg.” said Cowboy.

“Watch me.”

“Alright already.” said Cowboy, climbing up the ladder to the hatch of his Highlander..

Doc and Rohan already had their mechs on the move. Rohan fired a blast from his large laser at a nearby Conspiracy mech. The Clan-technology weapon heated the air in the hanger and both Logan and Cowboy felt the sweat bead up on their foreheads.

“This is going to be ugly.” said Logan.

“Alright, now let’s get out of here.” said Ryan Smith. “All Star Swords withdraw. There’s just too many of them.”

“Roger that, Hauptmann Smith.” said Logan, marching The Nightmare out into the open. “We’ll cover your flank as you withdraw.”

“Understood. Good luck and good hunting, Rangers.”

Logan winced every time his mech took a step, but he soon got used to the pain. “Cowboy, patch me through to the Combine security channels.”

“Roger, Logan.” said Cowboy. His Highlander’s advanced communications array immediately tied into the local security net. It would provide up-to-date battlefield data.

“There’s been another mech drop on the east side of the city. I think the ISF are here.”

“Steiner’s men are still the bigger worry. At their current rate of advance they’ll reach the Palace before any security unit.”

“Damn.” cut in Ryan. “Dieron Regulars have moved in on the spaceport. They can’t respond in time. It’s up to us. Logan, you head for the Palace. The Dirty Dozen will try to hold them off.”

“Understood. Good luck.” said Logan. He pressed down the throttle on his mech and brought it up to its full speed of 60 kph.

---

Joshua picked up a signal on a nearby enemy mech. His computer’s identified it as a Banshee, the mech Ryan Steiner had escaped in.

“Ryan’s no mechwarrior. It must be piloted by someone else. O’Malley perhaps.”

The Banshee had moved into striking range of the Palace. Joshua backpedalled to intercept it. He pulled around the corner to see it was training its weapons on the gallery.

“Won’t do you any good, Steiner. It’s been evacuated.”

“Nothing wrong with some wanton destruction, General.” responded Duke Ryan.

The Banshee’s twin PPCs came to life, firing twin bolts of ionized plasma into the room. Priceless artwork was destroyed as the particle beams superheated the moisture in the woodwork and plaster, causing the whole room to explode in a blast that shook the entire building.

Satisfied with the destruction, Steiner, or whoever was piloting, marched his mech back through the courtyard walls and out into the streets of Dieron City. He was heading back towards the advancing conspiracy unit.

Joshua made to pursue, bringing all his weapons online. With a massive gauss cannon on one arm and four high-powered clan lasers on the other, the Ryoken was a wonder to behold. No mechwarrior in the Inner Sphere could admit to not being afraid of the Galileo III, or perhaps of its pilot. Joshua wanted Steiner to know that fear.

“I’ve got four bogeys closing with us from the east side.” said Gwen.

“I see them, Gwen.” said Joshua.

“Any sign of Duke Ryan’s Banshee?” asked Yuri.

“He’s converging with them now. More bogeys. I’ve got four lances in total closing fast, plus Duke Ryan at the lead.”

“Help’s on the way.” said Ryan over the comm. “We’re pretty beat up, but we’ve held until the Regulars could respond.”

“How many are left?”

“Most of us, of course.” retorted Ryan.

“Any pilots lost?”

“Negative. We are at zero casualties.”

“What’s your ETA?”

“Three minutes, depending on how many of them we have to fight through.”

Joshua looked at his tactical monitor. To the north and west, the streets were clear of enemies. To the east lay the four lances under Duke Ryan’s command. To the south was the bulk of the conspiracy regiment, almost three full battalions. Exact count put the enemy force to the south at 124 mechs. Behind them, further south, were the Dark Rangers and the Dirty Dozen.

“Let’s pull back.” said Joshua. “We can’t handle that many enemies. Ryan, meet up with us at the Navpoint I’m designating as Alpha on your tactical map.”

“Roger. Are we it?”

“Seems that way. I’ve got a lance of Dieron Regulars five minutes south, but they’re not as much help as I’d like.”

Joshua urged Galileo III forward. He and his small lance of volunteers had to meet up with Ryan or they’d be mince meat to Duke Steiner’s flanking force. He kept staring at the tactical monitor, nearly azure with the blue specs of Steiner’s forces. The yellow of his allies were few and far between.

Duke Steiner’s force was almost on top of them when Ryan Smith’s battered but unbowed Mad Cat and Amanda’s Loki turned the corner. Behind them were the mechs of the Dark Rangers.

If fear was a real weapon that could kill you, Logan’s Nightmare would outgun anything on the battlefield. The Awesome was nearly twice the height of the gaunt Ryoken. Although, Joshua’s mech was far more accurate, The Nightmare made up for it in sheer firepower. After Dal Pryde had shot the mech to pieces, the Star Swords had rebuilt it into a machine worth of the name. It now strapped a Clan PPC, gauss rifle, and pulse laser instead of its usual armament of three PPCs.

A rapid burst of Japanese came through the comm. Joshua shot a quick glance on his tactical monitor, trying to interpret the foreign message from context. The Dieron Regulars lance that had drifted nearby was under fire from Duke Ryan’s flanking unit.

“That’s a distress call.” said Gwen.

“Move to assist. I want to knock out Steiner’s flanking movement by hitting it head on.”

“Do we have the time before the main force flanks us?” asked Victor.

“The clock is ticking, Victor.” said Joshua, running his mech down the street.

Logan brought The Nightmare up to a full run. The huge mech turned the corner to see a battered Dieron Regulars Thunderbolt. “Must have gotten separated from his lance or something.” It was putting up a good fight, but Logan knew it was a losing battle. It was fighting Steiner’s lethal Banshee.

“Mercenary mech, this is Chu-i Ciro Katsura. Requesting assistance.”

Logan dropped his crosshairs onto the Banshee and fired his gauss rifle and large laser. Two fresh wounds opened up in the gut of the massive 95-ton assault mech.

“Try picking on someone else, asshole. Someone with a little more meat on his bones.”

“You are quite the pest, Logan.” said a voice. It was Richard O’Malley.

“So it is you at the stick of Duke Steiner’s mech.” thought Joshua, overhearing the conversation from wherever the battle had taken him.

“I’ll live longer than you, O’Malley!”

“We’ll see.”

Rohan’s Crab turned the corner, firing its Clan-tech heavy lasers into a WHM-7M Warhammer. The heavier mech was giving as good as it got, but Rohan’s tenacity was giving the fight to him.

O’Malley backed away from Logan. The damaged but determined Thunderbolt pressed its attack on Steiner’s mech. Richard let loose with his Gauss rifle and PPCs. The barrage of heavy weaponry crippled the 65 ton mech, causing it to fall forward into a brick building. The destroyed mech smashed through the front wall of the building and lay still.

Duke Ryan stepped past his first kill and moved on Rohan. Logan intervened.

Undeterred, O’Malley opened fire on The Nightmare. Armor peeled off by the ton as the incredible weaponry of the Banshee blasted away at The Nightmare. Logan staggered back, barely able to keep his mech upright.

Logan returned fire, but his mech felt sluggish. His shots went wild, blasting into nearby buildings. O’Malley pressed his attack, pleased that the young overconfident mercenary was shaken up. He opened fire with all his weapons. Logan watched as the Banshee’s heat skyrocketed into the red zone. Most of the shots connected, slagging the rest of The Nightmare’s armor. This time, Logan was unable to keep his footing. The huge 80 ton mech fell backwards, crushing a building beneath its bulk.

“I’ll get one good shot in.” snarled Logan, squeezing the trigger of the PPC. The electrical bolt danced about the wounds Logan had already inflicted, ripping the hole wider.

O’Malley backed off, angry at the loss of a badly needed heat sink. The heat was already sweltering in the cockpit and Duke Ryan was anything but comfortable.

“You had to take me into combat with you!” snarled the noble.

“You’re the one who wanted a piece of Logan.” The Banshee continued to back off.

Another mech turned the corner some 90 meters behind the Banshee. Logan recognized it. It was the Galileo III.

Joshua activated his targeting computer to selectively target the Banshee’s left leg. Notoriously weak on armor, the Banshee’s leg was already battered from the Thunderbolt’s attack. Joshua waited for the crosshairs to go green and then he fired.

A gauss slug and four laser bolts ripped into Duke Ryan’s leg armor. The gauss shell smashed most of the armor to powder. What it didn’t, the lasers melted away, moving on into the skeleton beneath. The mech’s “shin” snapped in two, sending the Banshee falling into the building on its left.

Logan brought his mech back to his feet. He was determined to kill Steiner and O’Malley in their crippled mech. Joshua moved the Galileo in between him and the Banshee.

“Belay that, Logan. We’ve got bigger problems.” said Joshua. “Steiner’s not going anywhere. There’s a lance of assault mechs closing on the Palace and your Rangers. We’ve got to get moving.”

Without hesitation, Joshua dropped back down into his seat and turned the Galileo III around. He ran back down the street. Reluctantly, Logan followed behind him. Rohan took up the rear.

The battle had already begun in pitched fervor at the Palace. There were three Conspiracy assault mechs and one heavy attacking Cowboy, Doc, Gwen, and Yuri, who were desperately trying to hold them off. Doc’s Phoenix Hawk was in bad shape, and Cowboy’s Highlander had seen better days. Yuri’s prototype Raptor was also in sad shape. They were losing fast.

One of the enemy mechs, a modified AS7-D Atlas, spun to face off against Logan. Firing its jump jets it landed 50 meters in front of The Nightmare, behind Joshua.

“Ah, Logan, I have you now!”

Logan snapped a shot off with his gauss rifle. The shell struck the mech below the chin, blasting through its neck. The head of the mech exploded and it toppled to the ground.

“Some opponent.” said Logan sardonically, walking over the crippled Atlas.

“Nice shot.” complimented Joshua.

“What are those?”

The remaining three Conspiracy mechs were alien to them. Joshua’s computer brought up the two assaults as “DRKANGL” on his tactical board.

“Wait a second, my computer is tagging those big ones as Dark Angels. It’s an Omnimech, of the likes I’ve never seen before.”

“It looks like a giant demon to me.” The description was accurate. Much like the Atlas that Logan had just killed, the mech was designed to look intimidating. Its head was a triangular shape, with two “horns” sprouting off the top on each side. Across its back were two jump nacelles, cleverly disguised as two giant bat-like wings. The huge mech was nearly 18 meters tall, over three meters taller than even the massive Highlander and almost twice the height of the squat Ryoken. It was painted in a scheme of glossy black and red, making its demonic appearance all the more striking.

“Reminds me of the Balrog from Lord of The Rings.” thought Joshua to himself. He moved to intercept one of the massive Clan mechs.

The last mech, still unidentified, closed with Doc. This mech was much less impressive than the Balrog. A squat mech, with either a small head or no head at all, it resembled one of the OST series of machines like the Ostroc. But it was not one of them, but a new machine. It opened fire with its multiple pulse lasers. The barrage stripped the armor from Gwen’s Wolf Trap’s torso, exposing its sensitive gyro and its engine to damage.

“Assistance requested.” said a nervous Gwen.

“I’m on it.” said Rohan. The Crab was in only slightly better shape than the Wolf Trap. Rohan jumped in, bringing its claw down on the unknown’s head. The blow should have crushed the mech’s cockpit, but the 65 ton mech staggered away largely unscathed.

“We are heavily outgunned here.” commented Cowboy.

“Don’t remind me.” said Joshua. “Time to even these odds quick. That egg-shaped mech has additional head armor or something. Its time to find its vulnerable spot.”

Joshua twisted his mech and fired a gauss slug into the unknown mech’s right leg. The blow crushed armor, but did not penetrate.

“Damn, it’s heavily armored.” swore Joshua out loud. Joshua suddenly remembered that he had bigger problems. The Balrog charged towards him. Joshua clocked the mech at near 60 kph, maximum speed for a 100 ton mech.

“Shit, this guy’s fast.” Joshua turned back and fired with his lasers. As powerful as the Clan ER medium laser was, they seemed like little more than pee-shooters versus the Balrog’s 19 tons of armor. Even with Joshua’s accuracy and skill, he was vastly outmatched.

Logan closed with the other Balrog. Although damaged, he was still in fighting shape. Unlike most mechs, The Nightmare had been specially engineered so that its weapons would never cause a heat problem if Logan decided to fire them all at once. The Balrog might still overpower him. But he decided to risk it.

Cowboy jumped in to help. Low on ammo and badly damaged, it was risky for him to stay in the fight. He fired his last gauss slug into the Balrog, smashing into its heavy armor but doing little more than that. Logan squeezed all his triggers, unloading his mech’s awesome firepower into the Balrog. Although only moderately damaged, the impact was enough to unbalance it and it fell back into a skyscraper. The massive building shook from the impact, but seemed in no danger of collapse.

Logan moved in. In addition to its new weapons, The Nightmare also sported two other modifications of note. One was its jump jets. The other was its hands. With two quick punches, Logan smashed down the demonic head of the captured Clan mech, disabling the machine and killing its pilot.

“One down. Three to go.” said Cowboy. “YeeeHAW!” Logan turned to assist Joshua.

“Pick on someone your own size, partner.” snapped Logan at the second Balrog pilot.

“Gladly, Logan.” said the pilot in response. Seven lasers arched out of the arms and torso of the massive mech. Nearly every shot hit, vaporizing over 5 tons of armor in less than 10 seconds. The blow was devastating to The Nightmare. Logan desperately tried to keep his mech upright, but could not. He crashed backwards, destroying a small building under the bulk of his mech. He did not get back up.

Joshua, who had been trying to lure the Balrog away from the bulk of the fight, now found it heading straight back into the fray by Logan’s ill-fated assault. “Rohan, the Balrog’s moving back your way.”

Joshua took advantage of the advancing Balrog’s backside to unleash a barrage from his gauss rifle and lasers into the mech. “Roger that, General.” responded Rohan. Joshua watched as he and Doc turned to face the new threat.

Gwen finished the egg-like unknown with another barrage from her LB-10-X autocannon. She turned and intercepted the Balrog as it closed on Rohan and Doc. The Balrog slowed as it reached the end of the block were the still unmoving form of The Nightmare lay, pausing to train its weapons on the ISF agent’s mech. He began to charge forward, accelerating his mech.

“You will be only slightly less of a speed bump than your friend.” said the Balrog pilot. Logan said nothing, but suddenly brought his nearly destroyed machine to its feet, directly in the path of the charging Clan Omni.

Startled, the Balrog pilot tried to brake. Logan fired his gauss rifle, but the shot went wide as the Balrog quite literally crashed into The Nightmare. The impact knocked both mechs off their feet. The Balrog started to stagger back to its feet.

Joshua pushed Galileo III into a run, trying to clear the buildings to get a shot off on the vulnerable Omnimech. But there were too many buildings and, despite its speed, his mech was just not fast enough to make it.

The Balrog stood up and lowered its weapon to deliver the coup de grace to Logan and The Nightmare. Suddenly, two PPCs and a flight of LRMs roared out of nowhere to batter the Balrog from behind. Joshua stepped over the ruins of Yuri’s Raptor and cleared the corner to see Ryan’s Mad Cat closing with the Balrog. In the heat of the battle, Joshua had forgotten about the Dirty Dozen mechs he had with him. He had also forgotten Victor.

“Victor, you out there?”

“Roger, Joshua. I’m here.” The dot corresponding the Victor’s Daishi flashed on Joshua’s tactical board. He was single-handedly holding the enemy force at bay. That would not last long.

“Logan, finish with that thing. I’m going to assist Prince Victor.”

“I’m with you, Joshua.” said Gwen, following him. The two mechs darted down the street.

Sensor reads showed that the Balrog’s engine had been damaged by Ryan’s shots. Despite its excellent heat sink system, the Balrog would now have to be careful how many of its weapons it would use.

Amanda’s Loki joined the fray a second later, firing both her gauss rifle and her Class 5 autocannon into the Balrog. Logan cut loose with his weapons. Underneath the concentrated fire of the three mechs, the Balrog went down.

Four new contacts came into weapons range as the Balrog crashed into the street. “Star Swords, this is Ichi lance of San Company, 3rd Dieron Regulars. Do you require assistance?”

“Negative. This area is secure.” said Ryan. “Please move to assist Alliance forces at Navpoint Gamma on the nav map.” That would have been Victor’s location.

“Yokai.”

“New contacts, Joshua. Inbound dropships.” said Victor as Joshua closed. The powerful assortment of large lasers on the Daishi, called Prometheus, were firing continually at the enemy mechs coming down the street.

“More ISF forces?”

“We can’t hold. We must withdraw.”

“Look, the conspiracy regiment’s pulling back to regroup. Maybe that’s their ride out of here.” Said Joshua. “I’m not retreating. We hold the line at all costs.”

“We need to regroup.” Argued Victor. “Our mechs are in need of repair and resupply. If they hit us again, we’ll not hold.”

A lance of Kurita mechs moved up behind Joshua, Gwen, and Victor. Joshua looked at his tactical map. The north was still free. “Very well. All Alliance forces regroup north of the city, near Seow.”

The mechs pulled back, Victor laying down suppressing fire to cover their withdrawal.

Seow
Dieron
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine
11 March 3053

The small suburb of Seow harbored a sight that the small peaceful community hoped it would never see again, a Battlemech force. With Dieron so close to the Federated Suns, it was a frequent target during the Succession Wars.

Of Joshua’s volunteer battalion, roughly a company had survived the intense fighting of the afternoon. The Dark Rangers had lost Doc’s Phoenix Hawk and Cowboy’s Highlander was barely functional. The Nightmare and Rohan’s Crab were beat up, but still combat worthy. The Dirty Dozen were down by six mechs. The rest of the battalion was trapped with the 3rd Dieron Regulars at the spaceport.

“We’ve had reports of heavy fighting between the Conspiracy forces and Genyosha and Dieron Regulars already.” said Ryan Smith, walking up beside him.

“Enough to drive them from the field?” asked Joshua. “Irrelevant. I want confirmation that the delegates are safe and secure. Once that’s the case, they can have Dieron for all I care. Get me Javier.”

Yuri moved over to Joshua and offered him her headset. “I have Libereux, General.”

Joshua took the proffered headset. “Javier, what word?”

“We have evacuated the delegations to a bunker north of the city. Recommend that if you’re going to make a stand, that you do it here.”

“Any way to get them off-world?”

“Not at this time.”

“Damn.” Swore Joshua.

“I’m not sure we’re in as bad a shape as you think, Joshua.” Said Victor. “The Conspiracy attacked with roughly three regiments. We oppose them with roughly two, but their tactical situation is not good. Look, they hold the center of the city, but they are trapped from the south and west by Combine units.”

“They could advance northward on our positions. We’ll not hold them if they do.”

“We don’t have to. Think about it. If they advance on us, they surrender the spaceport and their primary means of retreat. Their position is untenable. Of course, their purpose was never to conquer this planet. They came to disrupt the conference and they have done so. No reason to remain now.”

“What of the Alliance?”

“The documents are signed. Will Kurita retaliate for this? I don’t know. I suppose this becomes our first test.”

“If Steiner escapes, it will not be the last.”

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