Star Sword Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
27 June 3055
"Leftenant General Daisaku Hayakusora reporting with 2nd Regiment as ordered, sir." said Daisaku. Joshua nodded his acknowledgment and Daisaku immediately went to a more relaxed pose. Behind him, his staff officers did the same, including Kou Fairchild, whom Joshua had not seen in some time.
"The General’s aged. Most of us still look like recent NAIS grads, but Joshua's different." thought Kou to himself. "First the trouble with Lisa and now the loss of his son have taken their toll."
"We're almost to full launch status in two days time. I am impressed, gentlemen. I'm surprised the garrison transition with the Home Guard was so smooth."
“Well, this is not the first time we’ve had to leave New Belfast in the capable hands of others.” Said Mike Koren.
“True.” Joshua turned back to Daisaku. “What’s your status?”
“Fully operational.” Replied Daisaku. “Of course, you requested only our mech forces to accompany you, so we are down a battalion of support.”
“James Sebastian’s role as leader of the New Belfast militia is largely ceremonial, as you well know. The support battalions of our two regiments will bolster militia defenses on both worlds on the off chance the Falcons get ambitious while we’re gone.”
“The workout will do them all some good. So what are we expecting on Northwind when we arrive?”
“Well, Daisaku, I’m not privy to every last detail of Victor’s Operation: Guillotine, but I’ll tell you what I know. Victor is sending operatives to undermine the relationship between the Highlanders and the Conspiracy. I have sent Lisa and Gwen with them to do the same with our own Juan Miranda and the old 4th Battalion. In the best of all possible worlds, that leaves us fighting only the 1st Conspiracy and a few assorted rogue mercenary units with four top of the line regiments: the 10th Lyran Guard, the 1st Genyosha, and our 1st and 2nd Star Swords.”
“Two to one odds against. And if Victor’s operations fail?”
“Then we face all four Highlander regiments and a single battalion of Clan Omnimech equipped former Star Swords in addition.”
“I like those odds much less.”
“So do I.”
“Then let us hope Lisa and her compatriots are successful.” Daisaku paused. “In the all their missions.”
Joshua nodded. “Yeah, I sent them there for that too.”
Dropship Queen Victoria, Nadir Point
Fort Loudon
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
9 July 3055
"Welcome aboard," welcomed the dropship captain. "We will be departing for La Grave within 24 hours. I hope your journey aboard our vessel will be pleasant."
"Of course." said Gwen Laidir, floating past the man to embark on the dropship. Lisa stood behind her and smiled pleasantly to the captain, but said nothing. Without further ado, the captain moved on the next boarder with the same message.
"You know, you really could try to play the part a little better." whispered Gwen as the pair headed for their stateroom.
“You’re enjoying this a little too much I think. You could have made us sisters or something. We even look a bit alike. But no, you made us an alternative lifestyle couple?”
Gwen laughed heartily. “Can you see the look on Joshua’s face when he finds out? You know damn well his imagination is going to go wild with that one.”
“You’re a pervert.” Said Lisa as they entered their stateroom. “You’re only going to encourage those who know what this means.” She tapped the ring on her nose.
“If any aboard are well-traveled enough to know what that is, they would know better. The renkesu are not whores, whatever twisted version of their lifestyle might have been impressed upon you by those who know nothing of the truth. They are mistresses and concubines, consorts to wealthy men and women throughout Combine space. People of influence and power. People known for retaliating when their companions are ill-treated.” Gwen smiled and softened. “You are not a true renkesu, Lisa, regardless of Napineo’s delusions. I doubt you have received the years of training in the arts of pleasure that the real ones do.”
“Not quite. Just an attempt by Napineo to pretend he could claim all the privileges of a Kurita lord. Seems strange that he would do so on a world that so hates the Draconis Combine and House Kurita.”
“My memories of his file were those of a man rather disliked by most of the people of his world. Politics makes strange bedfellows. Duke Ryan needed somebody to legitimize his occupation of Northwind. Napineo fit the bill. That’s the only reason he ascended to the position he did.”
“Duke Ryan’s presence on Northwind isn’t exactly an occupation.”
“Isn’t it? Do the Clan Elders truly have control of their world or does Duke Ryan? I’m sure that’s the angle Bairn is going to use to subvert them.”
“Perhaps. And what angle are we to use to subvert Juan Miranda?”
“I do not know my predecessor. You do. What do you think?”
“There are a couple of angles we could use….” Lisa suddenly staggered and nearly fell over.
“Lisa!” said Gwen in surprise. “Are you…”
“I’m fine. All these travels in zero-G with jump transit has been playing hell with my system. I’ve been getting these bouts of vertigo and dizziness. I’ll be glad when we’re back in a gravity well again.” She held her stomach as if trying to soothe nausea.
“Next leg of the journey, I pick the cover story.” Said Lisa, trying to change the subject. “I’m still not comfortable with this little game of being your lover.”
Gwen shrugged. “Fair enough.”
Lisa looked down at her boarding pass. It was labeled with the name "Julie Valdez."
“I’m picking the names next time too. Why Julie?" asked Lisa. "For that matter, it was Jennifer last trip. Then it was Janice. I sense a trend."
"Same first letter as 'Justice,' my dear."
“Oh.”
“That is why you’re wearing the ring again. Napineo’s delusion or no, it’s part of that character.”
Lisa nodded. “Yes. And Justice is a part of me, for better or worse.”
Jumpship Refueling Station
Garrison
Donegal March, Federated Commonwealth
1 August 3055
"I hate this planet.” Said Daisaku bitterly. “I remember these stars."
"We committed our most precious blood to them not so long ago." answered Joshua. "Come, we need not dwell on that. Nothing we can do can bring them back."
"It just seems to me that our pasts continue to haunt us.” mused Daisaku grimly.
Joshua paused, sensing his friend’s desire to reminisce and reflect. “Maybe. I’ve spent the better part of the last three years wrestling with mine certainly. But perhaps that’s our fate, to be anchored and held back by the legacy of what came before.”
“This isn’t our fight.” Said Daisaku, coming to the point. “We shed our blood on Garrison below against our true enemies. But Dieron, Oliver, the battle we’re traveling to now, we’re being drawn away from that legacy, Joshua. I understand your loyalty to Prince Victor, your friendship with him. But his battles are not ours.”
“You do us a service by keeping us focused on what it means to be Wolverine, but you misunderstand my intentions, Daisaku.” Explained Joshua. “This isn’t just about personal loyalty to a friend who happens to rule the greatest nation the Inner Sphere has seen since the Star League. It was the dream of our founders not just to stand against the other Clans, but also to inspire the Inner Sphere to reform what was lost. I believe Victor shares that dream. The Federated Commonwealth, the coming together of the realms of Steiner and Davion, is a part of that. So too is this Star Alliance with House Kurita. And this dream is threatened not just by the Clans, but also by hidebound traditionalists and bigots like Duke Ryan.”
“These things are happening in spite of our participation, not because of it.” Retorted Daisaku.
“Perhaps it is better that way. The other Clans also wish to recreate the Star League, but one on their terms. At least this way, the dream comes from the people of the Inner Sphere themselves, and is not imposed from outside.”
“Perhaps. But this is more than simply an academic exercise of one interested in history and its judgments. It’s also the concern of a senior officer who commands two battalions of BattleMechs and their mechwarriors. If Agent Bairn’s gambit fails, this battle will make Garrison look like a picnic. If our part in this dream, as you so poetically put it, ends on Northwind, what then?”
“We must entrust it to those of like mind, like Prince Victor.” Said Joshua. “You worry too much.” Joshua gave Daisaku a friendly pat on the back.
"Well, here comes company." said Daisaku switching to a lighter subject as he glanced ahead. Outside the station's tavern were some familiar faces.
"Good to see you again, Logan." said Joshua. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."
"Come on, General, warriors like us should find battle to be the best time for us to meet......just as long as we're on the same side."
"Hello, Doc. How went your mission in the Combine?" asked Daisaku.
"Did you see my report?" said the Dark Ranger tech.
Joshua nodded. "You uncovered some sort of alliance between the Jaguars and the Falcons?
“Uncovered and disrupted, hopefully.” said Rohan. "The last thing we need is for the Clans to start giving us trouble again."
“They will not be idle long, of that I’m sure. With Dal Pryde dead, New Belfast has seen a year of peace.” Said Joshua.
“They’re rebuilding their army with frightening new machines.” Said Doc. “Same as the ones we encountered on Alyina. Most of them are now ready for full production.”
“Then that only increases the urgency for us to do this job right, doesn’t it?” said Joshua. “We don’t want to be fighting a two-front war."
"How is your wife?" asked Logan.
"On her way ahead of us, with Kommandant Laidir."
“To rescue your son?” asked Logan. “We heard O’Malley abducted him.”
“He did, but Lisa will also help Agent Bairn keep the Highlanders out of this fight.”
“So Vicky isn’t sending us into a death trap then?”
“No, I think the Prince is doing everything in his power to ensure our battle against the rebels is as much in our favor as possible.”
“Well, let us hope.” Said Logan. “Hope for your son’s return and for the end of this accursed rebellion.”
Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Draconis March
13 August 3055
Lisa felt a shudder run through her as she submitted her belongings to the Security men at the airport. The last time she had been here, she had come to this world to escape the demons that haunted her. Now, Lisa feared some of them might still be on the jungle world of Northwind and among its denizens.
"All clear, Justine Patricks. Just in from off-world, I see. Welcome to Northwind." said the security guard.
Lisa nodded and moved on through. She had separated from Gwen at their last stop, but had arranged to meet her in three days, after both had hopefully made contact with their respective allies.
Outside the airport terminal, she hailed a cab. There was a thunderstorm on, which only dampened Lisa spirits more. She hated this place. It represented so much to her that she wanted to forget. But here she was, searching the one thing in her life that meant more than words could say.
“Where to, lass?” asked the cabbie.
“Exiletown.”
The cabbie gave her an unusual look. Lisa frowned. “No questions.” She said sharply, handing forward a wad of C-bills.
“Sure thing, lass.”
To that, the cabbie turned around and began to drive. The cab took her to her old haunts, the decrepit old city from which the rebellion hailed and back to Kyle's bar. To her surprise it was open. She paid the cabbie, who seemed more than happy to get out of the neighborhood. She took in a deep breath and walked inside.
It was as dark and dismal as she remembered it. The man behind the bar was not someone she'd seen before, but she approached him none the less.
“You have a problem with bums around here?” asked Lisa.
“One in particular.” Said the bartender. “He’s in the back.”
Lisa followed where the bartender motioned with a nod. She knew the way. In many ways, this all felt the same.
“…need to move fast on this, since the Prince…” said Nathan as Lisa walked in the door. He looked up from papers with a look of pleasant surprise.
“You’re not even upset that I just barged in here.” Said Lisa. The men at the table in front of Nathan turned to face her. Lisa did not recognize most of them, although she smiled at seeing Kyle among them.
“John was told to expect you and he’d have not let anyone come through that door unless he was with us.” said a voice from the wall beside the door, behind Lisa. Lisa turned to see Gwen.
“Am I the last to arrive?”
“You are, but don’t let that bother you. Friends, this is Justice, who once worked with us in the previous operation. She is, as is Agent Laidir, here at my request.”
Lisa twitched at hearing her referred to by the name “Justice.” It had not bothered her in all the planning for this trip and in all the time with Gwen aboard ship, but now the reality of where she was and what she was doing was coming home for her. She took a seat as Nathan resumed his briefing.
“As I was saying, we don’t have a whole lot of time to initiate our plans. I’ve already initiated some contacts among those sympathetic to our cause in the planetary leadership here. I hope those to bear fruit very quickly. With luck, I’ll be in meetings with the Clan Elders by next week.”
“If direct negotiations fail, then what?” asked one of the strangers.
“That’s where you come in. We need to ratchet up the tension between the Highlanders and the Conspiracy loyalists, things you have already initiated with flyers, interweb postings on message boards and blogs, and the rest. If the negotiations fall apart, we need a few very public incidents to bring the Highlanders back to the table.”
“Fights?”
“Riots even. I’d love to see a Conspiracy loyal mech unit open fire on Northwind natives.”
Kyle shook his head in disgust. “Those are innocent people you are proposing we manipulate, people who might be killed.”
“The bloodshed is regrettable, but if the Clan Elders will not listen, then the blood of their people must make them.” Said Nathan. “If there is nothing else, let us adjourn. We know our jobs. Let’s get to it. Victor will be here within a month.”
The meeting began to disperse, leaving only Kyle, Nathan, and the two women. “Agent Laidir has filled me in on your own personal missions.”
“I need to know where to find Juan Miranda.” Said Lisa.
“And O’Malley?”
“What did Gwen tell you?” asked Lisa sternly.
“Simply that O'Malley has your son. Abducted him a couple of months ago. Justice, you know I'd do anything for you." said Nathan. "But I doubt I could convince the others to go against O’Malley. They’d not see any profit in it.”
“What do you mean?”
“As the Conspiracy weakens, O’Malley is increasingly marginalized. His position as director of ConsInt is largely irrelevant now. Before, we might have gone for him directly and let him use his thugs to do what I just proposed to Duggan, stir up trouble against the populace. But our focus now needs to be on Duke Ryan’s rogue mercenaries and loyalists. ConsInt is virtually dead. How else do you think we were given free rein enough to meet in our old headquarters? They aren’t even bothering anymore.”
“Has O’Malley given up then?”
“It would seem so. Perhaps that’s why he went after your son. A bargaining chip for his life.”
“Perhaps, but unlikely. This is the same man who sprung his madman brother from prison for no other reason than their blood ties.” Interjected Gwen. “Daniel’s no hostage. He’s been taken to become what Richard wants him to be, a scion of the house.”
“Then you likely haven’t much time.” Said Nathan. “If O’Malley doesn’t plan to bargain with Daniel, he knows he’ll find no refuge here on Northwind once this world is in Federated Suns hands again.”
“He’ll flee off-world.” Said Gwen.
“No, he won’t.” said Lisa. “He might ship his whole family to the far reaches of space, but he’ll stay. He’ll stay for me and for Joshua. O’Malley still has his brother to avenge and he’ll not pass up the opportunity that the Star Swords coming here will provide.”
“We still need to subvert the Swords 4th Battalion and I can’t do that without you, Lisa.” Said Gwen.
“I know,” she answered. “As Nathan said in his briefing, we haven’t a lot of time. Can you get us into the Swords garrison?”
Nathan nodded. “Easily done. Can Miranda be trusted to turn on Duke Ryan?"
"I think so. He's Conspiracy not out of love for O'Malley, who was an old comrade, or of Duke Steiner. Like so many, he simply hated House Kurita enough to betray his friends and lover. A lover killed on Oliver.”
“And that’s your leverage?” asked Kyle.
“Yes.” Said Lisa. “Among other things. Juan’s principled enough that the abduction of my son will not sit well with him either.”
"Risky." Said Kyle.
“These are not educated guesses based on a photo and a DMI file. I know Juan. Fought with him, bled with him. He’ll listen to me.”
“Then we’d best get started. But Justice, there’s one more thing. I understand your need to find your son, but things aren’t as they were before. Kyle and I may still lead, but this is not the well-meaning and dedicated rabble we once commanded here. Duggan is Loki, a Lyran assassin with no qualms about killing anyone or anything that threatens his mission. And he’ll not hesitate if you screw things up for the rest of us.”
“You should have more faith in me, Nathan.”
Star Sword, 4th Battalion Temporary Headquarters, Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
14 August 3055
Juan came in the door without bothering with the lights. His temporary office here on Northwind might be new to him, but it was small and easily navigated even in the darkness. A late night e-mail from O’Malley had brought him out.
“Alright, Richard, you call me out here at 2300 and you’re late.” He grumbled aloud as he sat down.
“Or not coming.” Said a woman’s voice in the dark.
Fast as lightning, Juan yanked a pistol from the hidden holster under the desk. He aimed the weapon towards the door where the voice had come and turned on the lights.
“Not quite fast enough. If I’d wanted you dead, you would be.” Said Lisa.
“Nothing stopping me.” He squeezed the trigger. There was a click and nothing more.
“Even if I didn’t know where you kept your gun,” Said Lisa, holding up the magazine from his pistol. “I doubt she’d let you get away with that. And I’d keep your hands away from that alarm switch also.”
Juan ventured a slow glance over his shoulder out the window. “Very good, Lisa. A sniper perched directly outside my window.”
“Not just any sniper. Your successor.”
“And that is?”
“Another Wolverine exile, my husband’s former lover. Gwen Laidir.”
“The ISF operative?”
“The same.”
“So why are you here?”
“To deliver a message.”
“Oh?”
“We both know why you’re here, Juan. Your history with DMI, what happened to your family…”
“You’ve read a file. You know nothing about what it means.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit. I buried a fiance, remember? Your subordinate for a time. Hell, it was under your command that he died. If I followed your logic, Juan, perhaps I should have Gwen shoot you after all. It was your fault that Daniel O’Brian died.”
“You know better. He was Loki, black ops. Or didn’t you know that about him? I doubt he told you. He died as he lived, serving his nation. He chose that life. My family was never given a choice.”
Lisa paused. “And I’m sure they’d be so proud of your new allies. So proud that your people murdered Melissa Steiner and how many dozens of others. Not people from the Combine, not Kurita, not the people who murdered your family. No, Lyran citizens every one. What choice were they given, Juan?”
Juan was clearly unsettled by where this was going. Lisa knew she’s found a point of vulnerability. “And the Archon herself?” She continued. “She was everyone’s sweetheart, beloved by billions. There’s always been a certain sanctity to Archon Melissa. A sanctity your people violated by murdering her. What was her crime, Juan? What policy? What directive did she die for?”
Juan looked down at his desk. “It’s not something I’m proud of.”
“That had best be an understatement.” Said Lisa haughtily. “But we’re not done. I’ve only begun to list the notable deeds of your confederates. There’s plenty more. Take O’Malley for instance. We already know what manner of person he is.”
“That’s old news…”
Lisa slammed her fist down on his desk and drew in close. “Old news? He stood by and watched as his brother ravaged me time after time and did nothing. You do know that my son was born of that time, that little Daniel is Robert’s son. Well, guess what? Richard knows too and guess who has him? Guess who took him from New Belfast?”
“Excuse me?”
“Haven’t you wondered where you Director of Intelligence has been these past few months? Or is your whole operation in such pieces that you didn’t even know he was gone?” snarled Lisa, trying to keep her temper in check. “He came to New Belfast and kidnapped my son! What was his crime to be taken from Joshua and me? Your associates are monsters, Juan. Face it.”
Lisa leaned back to let Juan absorb what she had been saying.
“It wasn’t meant to be like this.” Said Juan. “We came to fight House Kurita, not assassinate people, not abduct children. This news you bring troubles me.”
“You are a poorer judge of character than we ever guessed if you didn’t think your allies were the sort of people who would resort to this. Duke Ryan doesn’t care about what happened to your family, but he’s more than willing to exploit it to trick you into helping his ultimately futile grab for power. O’Malley, likewise. This was always about revenge for his brother, not about some loftier cause. You’ve been played the fool. You betrayed us for nothing.”
“Maybe so, but what choice do I have now?” said Juan. “The die has been cast. Yeah, maybe my allies weren’t what I had hoped they’d be. But what remains for me on the other side? A court martial? A firing squad? Are you here to offer me a pardon in exchange for my switching back? Do you bring me Kelly’s forgiveness for abandoning her?”
“A pardon I can offer.” Said Lisa, letting out her breath. “That was the message I was to bring. Joshua will extend his protection to you; You will not face court martial, merely a reduction in rank and pay. All you have to do is stand down 4th Battalion when the time comes.”
Juan chuckled. “Are you serious? Never in a million years did I think that you’d offer such a thing.”
“It’s hardly an offer you can refuse. You and I both know that this world will not stand when Prince Victor comes. If you say no, a court martial and firing squad is all you have to look forward to, assuming you even survive the battle.”
“I suppose I shouldn’t hope you’d bring a message from Kelly also.”
“That I cannot do.” Lisa paused. “Kelly Perrens was killed in action on Oliver, Juan, fighting Duke Ryan’s First Conspiracy regiment. I’m sorry.”
Juan closed his eyes, trying to contain the pain of that news. “Obviously, she and I didn't exactly agree on my doing all this. I wanted there to be a future for us. But I was certain that a military alliance with the Combine would have been disastrous to the Commonwealth. I believed it so passionately that I felt I had no choice. I had to leave. I never really got the chance to fully explain to her why I did what I did or to find out how she felt. I’d always hoped that after this sorry affair was over, I chance upon her, find out if she could forgive me and maybe even, I hoped, come to love me again.” Juan slumped forward, cradling his head in his hands.
“I should have known better.” He mused after a few seconds. "People in my profession rarely have the opportunity to find love. We don't have serious relationships normally; we don't get married. That’s the sort of thing normal people do. Not us spies.” He let out his breath, still fighting to maintain composure. “How did she die?”
"I wasn't on Oliver, so I don't know first hand. I did read the debriefs. She was with First Battalion in the Erics Canyon. Steiner had the dam destroyed. Most of First Battalion survived. Kelly did not.”
Juan said nothing for several minutes. Lisa leaned forward and placed a note card on the desk in front of him. “You have a decision to make, Kommandant. When you’ve made it, contact me.”
With that, Lisa walked out the door.
O’Malley Manor, Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
14 August 3055
“Look, gentlemen, you have to face reality…” said Nathan.
“And what of our cities? Our people?” asked Duke Stuart. “You want us to stand down, stand by, while Prince Victor marches an army in here to take on Duke Ryan.”
“That’s unavoidable and you know it.” Retorted Nathan. “Say you don’t stand down. Will you burn your own cities to stop him? Because I can assure you, Duke Ryan is not going to play fair. Already, he has moved his mercenaries and his allies into Georgia. The last stand will be here and the city will burn, regardless of what you do. The question before you is whether there will be Highlanders left once the Prince is done? That choice is up to you.”
“We should evacuate the city then. Attempt to get as many people out as we can.” Said Baron Ian O’Malley.
“Duke Ryan will try to stop us. If we move to evacuate the civilians, he will retaliate.” Snarled Colonel Cochraine. “And we’ll still have blood in the streets.”
“Duke Ryan may still hold the city hostage.” Said Baron Ian.
“He will if he can, your grace.” Said Nathan. “His back is against the wall. Only Northwind remains in Conspiracy hands and it too soon will fall. That’s no longer in question and we all know it. I’m giving you a chance, gentlemen. Prince Victor, as per the Arc Royal Agreement, to overlook your role in this. But that means you cannot oppose his landing. If you do, the Highlanders are finished. All your traditions, all your legacy gone. Duke Ryan isn’t worth it. You have a decision to make. I leave you to it.”
With that, Nathan stood up from the sofa. Baron Ian stood up. “I will have my steward show you out. You came in good faith and with a promise of safe conduct. You will not be molested by anyone while under my protection.”
“Thank, your grace.” He nodded to the others. “Gentlemen, I take my leave.”
Baron Ian followed him to the door. His chamberlain walked out with him to the waiting car.
“Are you going to arrest him?” asked the Baron into the darkness behind him.
“You gave him a promise of safe conduct. I would besmirch your good word, Father, by taking him. Besides,” said Richard, stepping out of the shadows. “It would be moot anyway. He’s right you know. The Conspiracy is finished, at least this part of it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“There’s more going on here than meets the eye. And then there’s Daniel.”
“Robert’s son, my grandson. He may be an O’Malley by blood, but his adoptive parents will not let that stop them. They will come for him.”
“I’m counting on it.” Said Richard. “I am certain the Star Swords will be among whatever force Prince Victor sends at us.” Richard’s look became grave. “Father, I’m dead no matter what. I hope to take Robert’s killers with me, but you must survive, for Daniel’s sake, for Celine, for the family name. I’ve arranged transport off-world. When the time comes, you need to leave.”
“Leave Northwind?”
“Our enemies will not stop with my death alone. If you stand in their way, they will destroy you also. Messer and his bitch will kill us all, just like they did Robert.”
“Your brother deserved what he got and we both know it.”
“He was my brother and your son!” snarled Richard. “Your sons will be dead within weeks, Father. That toddler upstairs is all that remains to carry on the family name. He must survive. It’s up to you now.”
Kyle’s Bar, Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
15 August 3055
Lisa rubbed her head as she leaned back from the toilet. Her nausea symptoms had been continuing, despite the fact that she was no longer in space.
A rap came at the stall door. “Lisa, are you okay?”
“I will be, Gwen.” Lisa picked herself up and flushed her vomit away. “Just feeling a little under the weather.”
“You have a phone call. I think it’s Kommandant Miranda.”
“I’m coming.” Lisa opened the stall door and stepped out. She followed Gwen out of the rest room to the vid phone. She picked up the receiver, noting there was no video image of the person on the other side.
“This is MacLeod.” She said.
“If I stand down the Swords, I get amnesty. I go back to New Belfast and we forget this thing happened?”
“That’s the idea. Your punishment will be a reduction in rank and pay, nothing more.”
“And my men? The ones that came with me?”
“The same.”
“And those who signed on to replace the ones who didn’t come? What of them?”
“We’ll take them to New Belfast with us. They can sign on with the Swords or go their own way.”
“Good. Then it’s done. The Swords will not oppose Prince Victor’s attack.”
“Thank you, Juan.”
“And I will do one better.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ll find your son.” With that, there was a click as Juan hung up.
“Good news?” asked Gwen.
Lisa stepped back and grabbed her stomach again. “Yes,” she whistled out as she fought off the nausea again.
“You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine. Just some stomach trouble. Probably stress.”
“Lisa, stop lying to yourself.” Said Gwen. “This isn’t stress. It obviously isn’t zero-gee sickness. Admit it. You’re pregnant. Again.”
ConsInt Headquarters, Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
15 August 3055
Juan put down the phone transceiver and then turned to the computer on the desk before him. "Punch up the personnel and security data on Baron O'Malley's estate."
"This data is restricted. Input identification and access codes." responded the machine.
"Miranda, Juan. Clearance Delta Alpha. Access code: 32007."
"Accessing data." After a few seconds, the computer returned. "Data not available. Files have been erased."
"Damn. Should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. O'Malley's removed all records of his family from ConsInt Headquarters." Juan said to himself.
Juan stood up. "I wonder how far back he's covered his tracks. The old DMI archives will contain older data on the estate security measures and there should be a copy of those in the archives...I wonder if he's tampered with those."
Juan quickly logged off of the computer and turned it off. He grabbed up his notebook and headed out the door for the archive room, located down in the sub-basements, not far from the dungeon.
On his way down the stairs to the musty basement area, he ran into someone he'd rather not have seen: Richard O'Malley. O'Malley was surprised to see Juan and fear crossed his eyes for a brief second. He quickly tucked a dossier under his arm.
“Well, this is a surprise, although I had heard you were on Northwind. What brings you to ConsInt Headquarters, Juan?”
“Trying to get some information. See if we know anything about what Prince Victor might throw at us.” Lied Juan. “If I’m going into battle, it might help if I knew against who.”
“Unfortunately, our operations have become a bit more limited. Most have given up already.”
“Have you?”
“There’s more going on than you know, Juan. The Conspiracy is finished. Your best bet is to get your people off-world while there’s still time.”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you. I thought you’d go down with the ship.”
“I will. Nothing can stop that now. Either your former boss will kill me or they will.”
“They?”
“That’s a question you’re better off not knowing the answer to.”
O'Malley Manor, Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
21 August 3055
"They're up to something." whispered Gwen to Lisa. "Look, most of the battalion is on the grounds."
“This was not in Juan’s information.” Said Lisa, dropping back down behind the automobile they’d parked across from the front gate. “Something has changed.”
“They’ve gotten paranoid.” Said Gwen. “They know you’re coming.”
“Juan wouldn’t have.”
“I wasn’t suggesting that.” Said Gwen. “I meant in general. The Star Swords are coming for Daniel and Baron Ian has rallied his entire battalion of Highlanders to protect him.”
“But Nathan’s gotten word the Highlanders will stand down.”
“This is personal, between you, Joshua, and the O’Malleys. You think that agreement is going to stop Joshua or you.”
“It could unravel everything. This is what Nathan feared.”
“Then we’d best not fail tonight.”
Lisa nodded. She slid back up to look around again. "I can't see the manor house clearly from here. There are too many Battlemechs in the way. We need to get closer."
"We get any closer and those technicians are going to see us."
"Not unless I look like one of them."
"Now, wait just a minute....." responded Gwen, but Lisa was already most of the way across the street.
Surrounding the manor grounds was a stone wall. Lisa scaled it with ease, dropping down behind a large Captivator Battlemech. Gwen dropped down beside her.
“We are in this together.” Reminded Gwen.
“I knew you’d follow.”
“Now I know why he married you.” Said Gwen with a smile. “You’re even more fearless than me.”
Lisa raised her hand to silence Gwen. A technician was moving towards the Captivator.
Gwen ducked behind the leg of the mech and jumped the tech as he walked around. A quick smack with the butt of her SMG and the tech was dreaming. Lisa stripped him down to his underwear and tossed on the uniform over her commando uniform.
"That has to be hot." said Gwen.
“No time to strip.”
“You look ridiculous. Anyone inspects you closely, they’ll know.” Said Gwen, taking something from Lisa's belt.
"What's that?"
"Master activation key. Let's these techs activate these mechs to move them around without knowing each and every pilot's personal access code."
"ISF training?"
"Did you honestly think they wouldn't teach us how to steal mechs?"
"Is that what you have in mind?”
“You get Daniel and the alarm will go up. I’d rather try to escape in one of these,” she slapped the leg of the Captivator for effect, “than that sedan we brought.”
“Caps are slow, if our intelligence is to be believed.”
“I didn’t say this one in particular.” Gwen pointed towards another mech. "That Assassin ought to do nicely."
"Good. Now let’s get moving." Gwen dashed away, indirectly heading for the Assassin.
Lisa headed inside the manor house, casually walking past technicians and mechwarriors as they lounged around the grounds. A couple glanced at her funny when she walked inside, but her stance of "I'm supposed to do this" kept them from stopping her.
The O'Malley manor was impressive, not quite as nice as her father's castle as home, but almost as large. Lost, she had no idea where to begin, or how long she would have before Gwen was found or that unconscious tech was discovered.
Then she heard a woman's voice, speaking as if to a small child. She homed in on it and followed it down a hallway to the west wing of the house. Ahead of her in the corridor was a woman about 10 years older than herself, probably Celine, Richard's sister.
With her was Daniel. Seeing her son ripped at Lisa's heart. She took a step forward to move into the room.
Celine suddenly turned. "You're not allowed within the house." snapped Celine. "Get back outside!" she ordered. Lisa hesitated for barely a second, but it was long enough for Daniel to see her.
"Mommy?"
In a flash, Lisa stormed into the room and body checked Celine into the wall. Celine slammed against the wall and cried out for help.
“Gwen!” barked Lisa into her communicator. “I’m going to need that ride out of here now.”
“On my way.” Came the reply. Lisa could hear the sound a BattleMech powering up in the background.
Lisa grabbed Daniel and headed for the door. Outside, she could hear the commotion caused by Gwen’s mech power-up. The guards, thankfully, were not looking at what was going on inside the house.
As she reached the front foyer, she stopped. Directly in her path was Richard O’Malley. He turned and saw her and his eyes grew wide.
He reached for his weapon, but Lisa was faster. She fired her laser, a crimson beam of light slicing through the woodwork at shoulder level and striking Richard in the shoulder. He lurched back before the laser cut any deeper.
Lisa dashed for the door, but Richard was on his feet again. He dove for her legs and brought her down. Daniel landed with a thump on the hardwood and let out a wail of fear and pain.
“You’ll not take him!” snarled Richard, picking himself up and heading for the toddler.
“He is not yours!” retorted Lisa, grabbing his ankle.
Richard let out a fierce kick into Lisa’s face, shaking her off. He snatched up Daniel just the front door of the house exploded inward from the impact of a BattleMech fist. It enclosed around Lisa and picked her up off the floor.
"No!" screamed Lisa in desperation as she watched Richard carry Daniel away from the mech and out of danger. She slumped in the mech’s hand as Gwen pulled the mech’s arm back.
“I’m sorry, Lisa. But we’ve got other things to worry about. Hang on.” Said Gwen. Behind her, three of the Highlander's mechs were now powering up. She triggered the Assassin's jump jets. The 40 ton mech rocketed into the air, clearing the stone wall and landing on the road that led to the city. She hit the ground running and was out of sight before their pursuit left the grounds.
Celine came down the steps rubbing her head. She took Daniel from Richard’s arms. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” he said flatly. “But we must accelerate our plans. The Star Swords will be here soon.”
Rebel Hideout, Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
22 August 3055
Gwen fumed silently as she looked over the makeshift model of the Georgia communications relay. Nathan stood across from her.
“How is she?”
“She’ll live. You know her strength.”
“To be that close. To have him in hand and then lose him.” Nathan shook his head.
“They’ll be another time. Lisa knows this. Right now, we need to ensure that things are in place for Victor’s arrival.”
“This will be the key. When we give the signal, the Northwind authorities will shut down the comm relay. That will blind and deafen the Conspiracy forces temporarily and should allow Victor’s attack force to land.”
“It will also tip off the Conspiracy forces that the Highlanders have betrayed them.”
“They’ll be too busy with Victor’s attack force to retaliate.”
“And if the Highlanders don’t follow through?”
“That’s where I come in.” said Duggan as he walked inside. “I’ll teams in place to disable the relays if they’re not shut down by the Highlanders.”
“Victor’s ships are inbound as we speak, disguised as cargo transports. He’ll be in orbit in three days.” He paused. “Everyone knows their jobs. At this point, we separate and go to ground. Richard is probably going to be looking for us.” With that comment, Duggan bored a baleful stare at Gwen, but she ignored him. She simply nodded to Nathan.
“Our work is done.” Said Gwen. “Now it’s the Prince’s turn.”
Friday, January 25, 2019
Chapter Twenty-Nine - The Reforging
Star Swords Medical Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
23 June 3055
“Any luck?” asked Lisa as Dr. Jefferson finished putting the cast on her arm. Several hours had passed since her encounter with O’Malley and his goons. Joshua had just entered the infirmary after spending his time coordinating the search.
Joshua shook his head, the sad look on his face telling more than his gesture. “He can’t get off the planet. I’ve sealed every spaceport until he’s found.”
“That can’t be making you very popular with the civilian population.” said Jefferson, a tone of warning in his voice.
“What does that matter?” snarled Lisa. “My son is gone. I don’t know where he is and I’m scared to death.”
“We both are.” Said Joshua, taking Lisa in hand. “We’ll find him. O’Malley won’t hurt him, of that I’m convinced.”
“No, he was after his brother’s heir. That’s why he went to all the trouble of coming here.”
“Not to change the subject, but Kommandant Laidir is recovering nicely.” Said Jefferson.
“I’d almost forgotten about Gwen.” Said Joshua.
“She would have fought to stop him, if he hadn’t gunned her down.” Said Lisa with a feeling of gratitude.
“I know.” Said Joshua softly.
The intercom signaled and Jefferson answered it. “General, it’s for you. It’s Hauptmann Smith.”
“What is it, Ryan?”
“Reporting in. No luck finding O’Malley. If you want my guess, he’s going to hole up until we lift the launch ban.”
“You’re probably right. What do you recommend?”
“Declare martial law in MacLeod City and have us search the whole damn city.”
“It’s a city of 3 million people. That would take forever. I can’t justify that level of action. Not even for this.”
“I understand. There’s another option.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“There’s only two spaceports on planet. Dublin and here. Keep Dublin closed and open MacLeod City. We can screen anyone trying to leave the planet via one spaceport.”
“Good idea. Before you open the spaceport though, I want every dropship on that tarmac swept. If their captains complain, shoot them.”
“Understood. Smith out.” Said Ryan quickly. Joshua wondered for a moment if he’d been serious about the “shoot them” part, and if Ryan had taken him so.
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
25 June 3055
Two days of searching and screening with no luck. O’Malley had covered his tracks well and Joshua and Lisa were on the verge of giving up.
The day of Daniel abduction was a day of mourning throughout the Federated Commonwealth, as the grieving nation laid Melissa Steiner to rest. With the two day delay in transmission between New Belfast and Tharkad, the funeral was just now being televised in MacLeod City.
Watching a funeral was hardly something that would have lifted Joshua’s spirits at that point. “Victor’s not there.” said Joshua with a worried tone. “What the hell were you thinking, Victor? Some glorified Clan pirate is not worth missing the funeral of your mother.”
Gwen entered Joshua’s office, her arm in a sling. “No word, but you already know that.”
“We know where he’s going.” Said Joshua.
“We do. Back home. To Northwind.”
“Then you and Lisa have two tasks now. Find my son.”
“You’re sending us both?”
“I am.”
“This arrived for you from ComStar. It’s urgent. More word from Victor.”
Joshua turned off the funeral and played the message. “Hello, Joshua.” Said Prince Victor. “I’m transmitting this from the zenith point at Donegal. I’m en-route now to Tharkad. I intend to only be there briefly to pay my respects. The rebellion known as the Conspiracy will not stand for much longer and this message is a follow up to the orders I sent you a few days ago. I wanted to fill you in further as to our plans. Aside from your four mech battalions, I plan to bring my 10th Lyran Guard and the Kurita Genyosha. With Lord Takashi dead to a bomb similar to the one that claimed my mother, their honor demanded nothing less.”
“Kurita units on-world will complicate Bairn’s plan to keep the Highlanders out of the fight.” Said Joshua aloud.
“In addition, I would like the Dark Rangers as well. They’ve been contracted and will be arriving on New Belfast shortly. I intend to have a command circuit between New Belfast and our staging area on Errai established by the second week of July. I trust you will be ready to depart by then. Hopefully, we’ll be able to pull off what I’m calling Operation: Guillotine and bring the war to and end. Victor out.”
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
26 June 3055
Joshua finished watching Logan's response to Victor's summons. It would take the Rangers only two weeks to pack up and get to New Belfast. He had also received word that a Star Lord class jumpship had materialized at the Nadir point of New Belfast's sun. Victor was putting all his pieces into place.
Lisa was leaning against the bookshelf beside the vidplayer. She had the same sad look she'd had for the last three days. A rapid knock came at the door. "Enter!" barked Joshua.
Gwen came in. “It’s soon time.”
Lisa nodded. “I know.” She looked at Gwen’s sling. “Boy, aren’t we a sorry lot?”
Gwen nodded, noting Lisa’s own bandages. “Indeed.”
“It’s at least a month journey to Northwind via the route we’ve set up.” Said Joshua. “Your convalescence can continue en route.”
“So, it’s come to this then. We track him back to his lair.”
“We know that’s where he’s gone. I don’t know how he got off world, but certain that he has. But Northwind is his destination, of that there can be no doubt.”
Lisa reached up to put in her renkesu ring. She had stopped wearing it a long time ago, and the piercing had healed over. But she had redone it for the mission. “So Justice must re-emerge to take back what belongs to Lisa.”
Joshua nodded. “Bring back our son.”
“This time I finish what I wanted to do before as Justice.” Said Lisa. “O’Malley will not stop us, because I'm going to kill him."
“Daniel is priority.” emphasized Joshua. “This is not about revenge.”
“You’re right. It isn’t.” Said Lisa grimly. “But he’ll try again. O’Malley will try again and again if we don’t bury him for good this time. Just like Pryde, he’ll keep coming back. Daniel will never be safe as long as Richard O’Malley lives. None of us will.”
“She’s right.” Said Gwen. “You know this, Joshua. O’Malley must die.”
Joshua nodded. “So be it.”
"Alright, when do we leave?" Asked Lisa.
“Tonight.”
Jumpship Schwartzmeister
Location Unknown
26 June 3055
Agent Antoine Anderson walked onto the bridge of the jumpship, magnetic boots holding him securely to the floor in the zero-G. The petite female figure in the center of the bridge did not turn when he entered, but he knew who it was.
“Duchess, to what do I owe this honor? Last I could tell, you were on Tharkad at the funeral.”
The Duchess turned, slowly only because of her own magnetic boots. “I was, but command circuit managed to get me here only slightly behind news transmissions of the ceremony. You’re an important part of the plan, Agent Anderson. It wouldn’t do to lose you now.”
“O’Malley escaped.” Reported Anderson.
“His personal vendetta with the Star Swords is no concern of mine.” Said the Duchess. “Phase One of the plan is coming to a close and Richard O’Malley is proving a dangerous liability.”
“But a useful one. The abduction of the Messer boy will certainly bring a demand from General Messer to join the fight, if Victor hasn’t ordered them aboard already.”
“As I said, his personal matters are of no concern. What is of concern is the simple fact that O’Malley knows too much. His inquisitiveness has allowed him access to the later phases of the plan. He is not meant to know these things. That makes him dangerous.”
“That might explain why he struck at New Belfast now. He knows his days are numbered.” Antoine paused. “Give the boy to his father and his family before it’s too late.”
“Perhaps.”
“It still serves our purposes, Duchess. Messer will kill O’Malley and clean up our mess for us. Just as Victor will eliminate the others not involved with Phase Two.”
“True. If my plan is to succeed, I must ensure that the Conspiracy remains totally devoted to me alone, and not to my puppet. By getting Prince Victor to do the job for me, it keeps my role in this secret. If I sent one of you to do it, DMI and LIC would immediately suspect another hand at work. If phase two is to succeed, I must remain undiscovered by the enemy.”
“When is phase two to begin then?”
“I do not know yet. Victor’s action may clean house for me, but it will throw the organization into chaos. It will be a short time before I can contain that chaos. But Victor doesn’t suspect a thing. He doesn’t know just how deep this Conspiracy truly goes. And by the time he does, his throne will be mine.”
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
23 June 3055
“Any luck?” asked Lisa as Dr. Jefferson finished putting the cast on her arm. Several hours had passed since her encounter with O’Malley and his goons. Joshua had just entered the infirmary after spending his time coordinating the search.
Joshua shook his head, the sad look on his face telling more than his gesture. “He can’t get off the planet. I’ve sealed every spaceport until he’s found.”
“That can’t be making you very popular with the civilian population.” said Jefferson, a tone of warning in his voice.
“What does that matter?” snarled Lisa. “My son is gone. I don’t know where he is and I’m scared to death.”
“We both are.” Said Joshua, taking Lisa in hand. “We’ll find him. O’Malley won’t hurt him, of that I’m convinced.”
“No, he was after his brother’s heir. That’s why he went to all the trouble of coming here.”
“Not to change the subject, but Kommandant Laidir is recovering nicely.” Said Jefferson.
“I’d almost forgotten about Gwen.” Said Joshua.
“She would have fought to stop him, if he hadn’t gunned her down.” Said Lisa with a feeling of gratitude.
“I know.” Said Joshua softly.
The intercom signaled and Jefferson answered it. “General, it’s for you. It’s Hauptmann Smith.”
“What is it, Ryan?”
“Reporting in. No luck finding O’Malley. If you want my guess, he’s going to hole up until we lift the launch ban.”
“You’re probably right. What do you recommend?”
“Declare martial law in MacLeod City and have us search the whole damn city.”
“It’s a city of 3 million people. That would take forever. I can’t justify that level of action. Not even for this.”
“I understand. There’s another option.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“There’s only two spaceports on planet. Dublin and here. Keep Dublin closed and open MacLeod City. We can screen anyone trying to leave the planet via one spaceport.”
“Good idea. Before you open the spaceport though, I want every dropship on that tarmac swept. If their captains complain, shoot them.”
“Understood. Smith out.” Said Ryan quickly. Joshua wondered for a moment if he’d been serious about the “shoot them” part, and if Ryan had taken him so.
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
25 June 3055
Two days of searching and screening with no luck. O’Malley had covered his tracks well and Joshua and Lisa were on the verge of giving up.
The day of Daniel abduction was a day of mourning throughout the Federated Commonwealth, as the grieving nation laid Melissa Steiner to rest. With the two day delay in transmission between New Belfast and Tharkad, the funeral was just now being televised in MacLeod City.
Watching a funeral was hardly something that would have lifted Joshua’s spirits at that point. “Victor’s not there.” said Joshua with a worried tone. “What the hell were you thinking, Victor? Some glorified Clan pirate is not worth missing the funeral of your mother.”
Gwen entered Joshua’s office, her arm in a sling. “No word, but you already know that.”
“We know where he’s going.” Said Joshua.
“We do. Back home. To Northwind.”
“Then you and Lisa have two tasks now. Find my son.”
“You’re sending us both?”
“I am.”
“This arrived for you from ComStar. It’s urgent. More word from Victor.”
Joshua turned off the funeral and played the message. “Hello, Joshua.” Said Prince Victor. “I’m transmitting this from the zenith point at Donegal. I’m en-route now to Tharkad. I intend to only be there briefly to pay my respects. The rebellion known as the Conspiracy will not stand for much longer and this message is a follow up to the orders I sent you a few days ago. I wanted to fill you in further as to our plans. Aside from your four mech battalions, I plan to bring my 10th Lyran Guard and the Kurita Genyosha. With Lord Takashi dead to a bomb similar to the one that claimed my mother, their honor demanded nothing less.”
“Kurita units on-world will complicate Bairn’s plan to keep the Highlanders out of the fight.” Said Joshua aloud.
“In addition, I would like the Dark Rangers as well. They’ve been contracted and will be arriving on New Belfast shortly. I intend to have a command circuit between New Belfast and our staging area on Errai established by the second week of July. I trust you will be ready to depart by then. Hopefully, we’ll be able to pull off what I’m calling Operation: Guillotine and bring the war to and end. Victor out.”
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
26 June 3055
Joshua finished watching Logan's response to Victor's summons. It would take the Rangers only two weeks to pack up and get to New Belfast. He had also received word that a Star Lord class jumpship had materialized at the Nadir point of New Belfast's sun. Victor was putting all his pieces into place.
Lisa was leaning against the bookshelf beside the vidplayer. She had the same sad look she'd had for the last three days. A rapid knock came at the door. "Enter!" barked Joshua.
Gwen came in. “It’s soon time.”
Lisa nodded. “I know.” She looked at Gwen’s sling. “Boy, aren’t we a sorry lot?”
Gwen nodded, noting Lisa’s own bandages. “Indeed.”
“It’s at least a month journey to Northwind via the route we’ve set up.” Said Joshua. “Your convalescence can continue en route.”
“So, it’s come to this then. We track him back to his lair.”
“We know that’s where he’s gone. I don’t know how he got off world, but certain that he has. But Northwind is his destination, of that there can be no doubt.”
Lisa reached up to put in her renkesu ring. She had stopped wearing it a long time ago, and the piercing had healed over. But she had redone it for the mission. “So Justice must re-emerge to take back what belongs to Lisa.”
Joshua nodded. “Bring back our son.”
“This time I finish what I wanted to do before as Justice.” Said Lisa. “O’Malley will not stop us, because I'm going to kill him."
“Daniel is priority.” emphasized Joshua. “This is not about revenge.”
“You’re right. It isn’t.” Said Lisa grimly. “But he’ll try again. O’Malley will try again and again if we don’t bury him for good this time. Just like Pryde, he’ll keep coming back. Daniel will never be safe as long as Richard O’Malley lives. None of us will.”
“She’s right.” Said Gwen. “You know this, Joshua. O’Malley must die.”
Joshua nodded. “So be it.”
"Alright, when do we leave?" Asked Lisa.
“Tonight.”
Jumpship Schwartzmeister
Location Unknown
26 June 3055
Agent Antoine Anderson walked onto the bridge of the jumpship, magnetic boots holding him securely to the floor in the zero-G. The petite female figure in the center of the bridge did not turn when he entered, but he knew who it was.
“Duchess, to what do I owe this honor? Last I could tell, you were on Tharkad at the funeral.”
The Duchess turned, slowly only because of her own magnetic boots. “I was, but command circuit managed to get me here only slightly behind news transmissions of the ceremony. You’re an important part of the plan, Agent Anderson. It wouldn’t do to lose you now.”
“O’Malley escaped.” Reported Anderson.
“His personal vendetta with the Star Swords is no concern of mine.” Said the Duchess. “Phase One of the plan is coming to a close and Richard O’Malley is proving a dangerous liability.”
“But a useful one. The abduction of the Messer boy will certainly bring a demand from General Messer to join the fight, if Victor hasn’t ordered them aboard already.”
“As I said, his personal matters are of no concern. What is of concern is the simple fact that O’Malley knows too much. His inquisitiveness has allowed him access to the later phases of the plan. He is not meant to know these things. That makes him dangerous.”
“That might explain why he struck at New Belfast now. He knows his days are numbered.” Antoine paused. “Give the boy to his father and his family before it’s too late.”
“Perhaps.”
“It still serves our purposes, Duchess. Messer will kill O’Malley and clean up our mess for us. Just as Victor will eliminate the others not involved with Phase Two.”
“True. If my plan is to succeed, I must ensure that the Conspiracy remains totally devoted to me alone, and not to my puppet. By getting Prince Victor to do the job for me, it keeps my role in this secret. If I sent one of you to do it, DMI and LIC would immediately suspect another hand at work. If phase two is to succeed, I must remain undiscovered by the enemy.”
“When is phase two to begin then?”
“I do not know yet. Victor’s action may clean house for me, but it will throw the organization into chaos. It will be a short time before I can contain that chaos. But Victor doesn’t suspect a thing. He doesn’t know just how deep this Conspiracy truly goes. And by the time he does, his throne will be mine.”
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Part Five – Turning the Tables
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Vanishings
MacLeod City
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
19 June 3055
The stranger scribbled his name across the payment invoice. “So tell me, how is business?” he asked.
The hostel manager took the invoice and read over the name. “Pretty good, Mr. Martin. Getting better actually, now that Dal Pryde is dead and the Falcons seem to have lost interest in us.”
“Pryde is dead?” the stranger perked up at the news.
“Yeah, a year ago. They say General Messer took his sword and ran it through his throat.” The manager thrust his arm forward for dramatic effect, imitating how he thought Pryde’s execution was accomplished. “Brought us justice for that year under Pryde’s tender care.”
The stranger chuckled grimly. “I know. I was a prisoner for a time under that ‘tender care.’”
The manager shivered. “I don’t want to know what horrors you faced under Pryde and that monster O’Malley. But then,” The manager glanced downward to the stranger’s crotch, “you don’t exactly have the right equipment for O’Malley to have been interested in you.”
“True enough.”
“So a month then, Mr. Martin?”
“Quicker if I can manage it. Looking for a ship to take me aboard.”
“You star sailors. All alike. You journey from planet to planet like restless vagabonds. Then the job dries up, the company dumps you on some planet, and you wait until some other opportunity comes along.” The manager smiled. “I know your type. We get your kinda folk in here all the time, and the dropship captains know to come looking for you here. I’ll keep my eyes open. It shouldn’t be too long. As I said, with Pryde dead, New Belfast’s back in business again.”
“Good. This place holds some bad memories for me. I’d rather not stay longer than I have to.”
“I can imagine. Good day, Mr. Martin.”
Ski Resort
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
21 June 3055
Lisa rolled over and snuggled up against the warmth of her husband. “I’m so glad you brought us here.” She murmured under her breath.
“Daisaku found this place a few years ago.”
“I remember. Your guys’ weekend away when I was having my….troubles.” She rubbed her cheek against the stubble on his chin. “I’m so sorry for all that I put you through.”
“Stop it.” Said Joshua firmly, but gently. “I’ve long since forgiven all that, as I hope you’ve forgiven me.”
“I have.” She said, giving him a light kiss. She hovered over his face, as if uncertain what to do next. “Do you hear that?”
Joshua paused to listen. “Helicopters.”
“Coming for us.” Said Lisa. As if on cue, their personal communicators across the room began to beep with the recall signal. “Damn.”
“Oh, there’s still a little time.” Joshua grabbed her and rolled over. “We were working on another one.”
“There’s no…time.” She gasped slightly as he entered her. “Stop it you’ll wake him.”
Joshua looked back at the crib where Daniel was sleeping quietly. “Only if you cry out, my love.” He thrust again.
“You don’t make…it very easy.” She replied. Joshua laughed.
Their lovemaking was hurried, but ultimately still interrupted by the rapid knock at their door.
“Just…a…minute.” Barked Joshua to the door as he reached climax. He rolled off of Lisa. “Enter.” He ordered.
“Joshua!” exclaimed Lisa, grabbing for the covers. Joshua made no effort to cover his nudity.
Gwen entered and glanced over the couple. “I apologize for interrupting, but this is a matter of great urgency.”
“The Falcons had better be invading again.” Grumbled Joshua, as he stood up.
“I wish.” Said Gwen grimly. She held up a vid-chip. “This arrived less than an hour ago via ComStar. It will be broadcast planetwide once you and the Duke have seen it. Erik is waiting to give the word to release it to the public.”
“What is it?”
Gwen turned to the tri-vid screen and inserted the chip. Joshua picked up the waking Daniel as the screen flickered to life.
“Oh, my God.” Said Joshua. Behind him, Lisa let out a gasp of horror and grief.
“Yeah,” said Gwen. “Now you know.”
“This changes everything. Assemble the Swords.”
“Already done. Recall went out just a few minutes ago. You’d best get dressed and packed. Vacation’s over.”
MacLeod City
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
21 June 3055
The stranger bustled down the street with some haste. His face was filled with a look of frustration and it made the others walking the streets of New Belfast’s capital city pause and move aside to avoid a confrontation with this obviously angry man.
Above him, on the side of the New Belfast Broadcasting Building, one of the tallest in the city, was a giant tri-vid screen. Upon it, the network displayed its daily broadcast, the same as could be seen in any home, only here displayed upon a screen 10 meters in height. People often stopped in the street to gaze upward to see the latest news or weather report or the goings on of their favorite soap opera characters. Whatever grabbed their fancy. The presence of these gawkers only added to the stranger’s annoyance.
The screen flashed bright yellow with the words “Special Report” and the volume, already loud enough to be heard clearly in the city street below amplified to get people’s attention. The stranger stopped, as did everyone, to note what sort of emergency news the network was bringing to them. The last time it had done so was to broadcast word of Dal Pryde’s attack the year before.
The familiar image of two newscasters appeared on-screen. “We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcast for this special news report.” Said the one, visibly shaken. “It is our sad…” He sobbed for a moment and fought to regain his composure. “…our sad duty to inform you that Archon Melissa Steiner was assassinated on Tharkad two days ago.”
The second took over for his troubled partner. “This footage, arrived just moments ago…” The screen shifted to an image of carnage. “…comes to us from the Frederick Steiner Memorial Library, whose dedication the Archon was keynoting. A bomb blast ripped through the assembled delegates, killing dozens and wounding many more. We have received confirmation that Archon Melissa was among the deceased.”
“Son of a bitch, Steiner. What sort of mischief have you gotten into since I’ve been gone? The Conspiracy is dead or nearly so and you do this? Victor will slaughter us to the man in revenge.” The stranger shook his head in further frustration. “Madness. This whole rebellion has become an exercise in madness.”
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
22 June 3055
Joshua sat quietly as he looked over the latest news reports he’d received from the front. He sought distraction from the horrible news from Tharkad. Ten months, nearly a year, since Dal Pryde found final defeat on New Belfast. Ten months of peace, now shattered by an assassin’s bomb.
Peace may have reigned on New Belfast, but elsewhere was different. Prince Victor had fought back the Capellans in the Sarna March and fought back the Conspiracy until now it held only a fraction of the worlds it once did. Clustered around Northwind, the remaining rebels dug in and waited for what was now inevitable. But the hammer blow had not yet come. Victor found further distraction from Clan incursions near the Periphery border, the so-called Red Corsair.
“The warrior in him runs from battle to battle, as if dodging the tasks of head of state. I wonder if Steiner and O’Malley found vulnerability in our Prince’s distracted state.” Mused Joshua silently.
The sound of Daniel playing on Joshua’s office floor drew Joshua’s attention away from his thoughts. He smiled as his son battled toy Battlemechs against one other.
“It must be so easy for you, my son. But soon the warrior’s duty will be entrusted to you also.” Daniel looked up at his father, only barely understanding the meaning, but smiling nonetheless at his father’s voice.
There came a rap at the door. “Enter.” Barked Joshua.
Lisa walked in with Marian close behind. “It’s time.” She said.
Joshua nodded. “I know.” He stood up, gathered up the things he would need for the briefing. Marian moved to sit down on the floor next to Daniel, resuming as she so often did her task of babysitting the toddler when duty called away his parents.
“You be good, Daniel, with Auntie Marian while Mommy and Daddy have their meeting.”
“Ok.” Piped up the 2 year old.
“I got word today that they’ve finally gotten Gil-Galad put back together.” Said Joshua to his wife as they headed down the hall. It was obvious attempt to avoid the subject that weighed on everyone’s mind.
“Took them long enough.” Complained Lisa, playing along and grateful for the distraction. “It’s not that old a mech.”
“Mounting Clan technology weapons on an Inner Sphere frame can be a tricky proposition.”
“The Dark Rangers didn’t seem to have too much trouble with it.”
“Yeah, but they’ve got Doc.” Said Joshua. “I certainly wouldn’t mind having him on our team.”
“Logan would shoot you if you tried to recruit him away from them.”
“I know. Speaking of the Rangers, I’ve heard they’re back on Babeski after a successful year in the Combine. Came back with a new dropship and everything.”
“A new dropship?”
“Yeah, some experimental thing they stole from the Smoke Jaguars.”
“And the Combine let them keep it?”
“Not sure the Combine knew about it.”
“They’re going to need it.” Said Lisa, bring both their thoughts back to the real matter at hand.
“Yeah, I imagine so.” Together, they entered the briefing room.
“All rise!” barked Mechlanthon. “General Messer arriving.”
“As you were.” Said Joshua. It had been a long time since the Swords had used that level of formality, but the gravity of the last two days seem to merit it.
Joshua glanced past the assembled officers to the window that overlooked the headquarters grounds. Outside, the Federated Commonwealth flag flew at half-mast.
“Given recent events, I doubt it’s any surprise as to why I’ve called this briefing.” Began Joshua. “Daisaku on Evcilier will be apprised of our discussions, as they will have bearing on the 2nd Swords as well. Orders came down less than an hour ago from the hand of Victor himself. He’s accelerating his timetable to attack Northwind and bring Duke Ryan to heel.”
“As predicted. But you say orders?” said Erik.
“Yes, orders. Victor wants the Star Swords, both regiments, as part of the attack force. And he wants our help with something else.”
“What precisely?” asked Lisa.
“Victor knows, as I’ve long suspected, that most of the Highlanders have lost their stomach for this fight. Victor wants to subvert them and to that end he has put together a team to undermine completely their relationship with Duke Ryan. Heading up that team is your old friend Nathan Bairn.” Joshua looked at Lisa. “Nathan’s been given a lot of leeway in choosing his team. He’s asking for Justice to sign on again.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” Said Lisa grimly.
“It’s purely voluntary. Even if you choose not to go, my dear, I would like to send one of our own to Northwind nonetheless.” His eyes darted to Gwen, but even if they hadn’t, everyone knew she would be the one.
“Why? Victor will provide us all the recon we’d need.” Said Ryan.
“Prince Victor may be interested in subverting Highlanders. I’d like to subvert one of Duke Ryan’s other defenders. Reports have come in that at least one other unit is now garrisoning Northwind against us.”
“Fourth battalion.” Said Erik. “Juan’s brought Fourth battalion home to roost.”
“Yes, Juan Miranda’s been quite busy throughout this war, causing all sorts of trouble within the Combine, but he’s been recalled back to Northwind for the final stand. I’m prepared to offer him a bit of amnesty if he’ll order his forces to stand down and surrender when Victor launches his attack. I’m sure whatever attack force Victor is putting together will be relieved to not have to face down Clan Omnimechs.”
“A bit of amnesty? Explain.” Asked Ryan.
“Simple. He and his officers return with their stolen equipment to us here on New Belfast, with reduction in pay and rank as befits soldiers having gone AWOL.”
“A slap on the wrist?” Said Ryan with annoyance. “He betrayed us.”
“It’s a better offer than any he’ll receive from Prince Victor and he’ll know it too.”
“If Lisa refuses, I’ll go.” Said Gwen. “It’s what you had in mind anyway. I know Northwind almost as well as Lisa and I’ve also worked with Agent Bairn also.”
“As to the rest of us, as I said, Victor has requested the presence of both 1st and 2nd regiments’ mech forces for the final assault. We should be on the move as soon as possible. Victor will not long delay after his mother’s funeral to make the attack.”
“No, he’ll want to bring things to closure soon and decisively. This rebellion has gone on too long already and we have paid too dear a price for the delay.” Said Lisa. “There are murmurs, rumors. The Lyran sector is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with Prince Victor’s handling of the Conspiracy crisis.”
“And with Melissa now dead, those rumors will blow out of control.” Said Joshua. “Yes, this is a delicate time. With Melissa dead, the twin nations of the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns come together at last under one ruler. The Federated Commonwealth is now a reality in every way it can be. That’s a tall order for any man and all the more reason to bring those in open rebellion to heel now.”
Everyone in the room nodded. “Everyone, prepare your units for departure. Lisa, my dear, I hate pressure you about this, but I would have your answer within a day. You need to go on ahead of us to Northwind as soon as possible.”
Lisa nodded. “I know.”
“That is all. Dismissed.”
Shetland foothills, near Castle MacLeod
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
23 June 3055
The stranger crept through the woods silently. Nearby, he could hear the conversation: Two women together, with the additional sound of a small child laughing and playing nearby. He paused, leery of being discovered. His quarry was near.
“It seems each time I try to escape my past it comes back with a vengeance.” Mused the one. “Look at him, Gwen. Red hair, freckles, he’s more his father every day.”
“That’s not Daniel’s fault.” Said the other firmly. “Lisa, you can’t fault your son for his father’s crimes. Joshua doesn’t.”
“And I don’t want to. But it’s hard when every time I look at Daniel, I see Robert.”
“You need to put that behind you.”
“I know. But that’s my point. My past hangs on me like the literary albatross. Now Joshua wants me to go back to Northwind, back to there, back to all those horrid memories.”
“You can refuse that request. I’ve already told Joshua I will go in your stead. Bairn can live without Justice. You don’t need to do that to yourself.”
“No, Gwen, I do. Juan knows me, we fought together, bled together. He’ll listen to me. You are a newcomer, a stranger to him. He has no reason to trust what you say. He’ll believe me.”
“So, seeking to subvert Agent Miranda, are they? No surprises there. The fewer Conspiracy troops they face when the inevitable invasion comes, the easier their victory will be.” Mused their hidden observer silently.
“Then you’ve made up your mind.” Said Gwen, rubbing her horse on the nose.
“I have.” Said Lisa, watching little Daniel as he waded in a nearby stream.
The stranger stepped forward from the woods. It was time to put his plan in motion.
Lisa and Gwen both spun with a start at his appearance. “Afternoon, ladies. It was been a while.”
Gwen’s sword flashed from its scabbard with blinding speed. “O’Malley! Here?”
O’Malley’s pistol spoke once and Gwen went sprawling. “Typical Star Sword. Drawing a blade when a gun would do.”
Lisa broke into a run, scooping up Daniel from the stream and running towards her own horse. O’Malley’s gun spoke twice more. The horses let loose agonized whinnies as the bullets tore into them both.
“Oh, no, you’re not escaping me this time. You and your son.”
Those words chilled Lisa to the bone. He wasn’t just after her. She went to where Gwen lay unmoving in the grass. Dropping Daniel beside her, she picked up Gwen sword. It was the only weapon they had.
“So much better this way, isn’t it?” said O’Malley. “You’ve been itching for this fight for some time now.”
“You’ll not take my son.” Said Lisa, bringing the sword up between them.
“Oh, but I will. He is my brother’s heir. An O’Malley, as your conversation a minute ago made perfectly clear.” Richard fired again. The bullet tore into her left shoulder and passed through. Lisa spun from the shock of the impact and dropped to the ground. She struggled back to her feet.
“But I’m not interested in what you want.” O’Malley continued. “Dead by blade or gun, it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll not make the same mistake twice of allowing you to linger long enough for some cavalry to come to the rescue. But it’s my brother’s son I’m here for. You’re just icing on the cake.”
With that, O’Malley moved to snatch the crying Daniel. Lisa hauled herself to her feet, sword still in hand. She swung at O’Malley. He parried with the only thing he had available, his pistol. The blow smashed the gun beyond repair and went through to cut a nasty gash in Richard’s hand.
“You’ll have to finish me before I let you touch him.” She said with ferocity. “Daniel, run!” The toddler, frightened by his mother’s frantic tone, did as he was told, wobbling up the hill as fast as his short legs could carry him.
Richard backhanded Lisa, sending her sprawling. He then headed up the hill after Daniel, turning his back on Lisa. Lisa dove for his ankles, knocking him down with a tackle. Lisa was first back on her feet and raised her sword to strike a killing blow.
O’Malley rolled over and slammed both feet into Lisa’s gut. The blow knocked the wind out of her and she went flying down the hill. Rather than repeat the mistake of turning his back to Lisa, he pressed his attack, jumping to his feet and heading after her.
Lisa had staggered back to her feet when O’Malley came upon her. His first move was to grab her sword arm, keeping the deadly weapon from him. Lisa responded by smashing a series of punches to his face. Although not as strong as O’Malley, especially so with her wounded shoulder, her blows were well aimed, striking his right eye and temple repeatedly. Richard slammed her elbow against his knee, snapping the bone and causing Lisa to drop her sword. The sudden pain of having her arm broken made her cease her attack.
O’Malley, using her injured arm as leverage, threw her into the stream. Hitting the cold water revived Lisa somewhat, and she grabbed the nearest object she could find, a rock. Standing up, she threw the rock with her good arm, striking Richard dead center of his chest. There was a crack and Lisa knew she’d broken his breastbone.
O’Malley staggered for a second, and Lisa was on him like lightning. She slammed her knee into his gut, causing him to double over. She then brought her knee against his injured chest, once, twice, three times before O’Malley lost his footing and fell over in pain.
“Damnit, die already.” She snarled.
Lisa tried to press her advantage by stomping down on the back of his neck, but Richard rolled over, snagging her leg in the process. With her leg pulled out from under her, Lisa went down, landing on her wounded arm. Agony shot through her body as she hit, stunning her for a critical few seconds.
O’Malley grabbed her by her shirt collar and hoisted her into the air. “I underestimated you again, Lady Lisa.” he gasped. “You prove tougher each time. But not again.”
“This isn’t over yet.” Lisa slammed her foot forward, catching him just below the rib cage. O’Malley dropped her and doubled over, falling into the stream as he did so. “You will never take my son away from me.” she swore, kicking him repeatedly.
O’Malley, mustering what little strength he had left, caught one of those kicks in mid-motion, and shoved backwards against Lisa. That unbalanced her and knocked her into the water. Richard grabbed a rock of his own and smashed it down on Lisa’s head as she tried to stand. She slumped into the cold water.
He was about to hold her under to finish her when he felt the earth tremor. “Damn!” he swore and he staggered to his feet. Clearing the trees not more than 100 meters behind him was a Cauldron Born battlemech. It raised its right arm as O’Malley dashed up the hill after Daniel, trying to close the distance between himself and the child before the mech opened fire. The aforementioned cavalry was here.
Joshua had been nearby taking his mech out for a spin with Ryan and Amanda when he heard the tell tale sound of a pistol shot. Knowing that spelled trouble, he’d headed in the direction of the sound. Now he found his wife in a life-and-death struggle with someone he was astonished to see on New Belfast.
Joshua pressed his finger on the trigger of his small laser. A crimson beam of light lanced out from the mech’s right arm, superheating the soil not more than three meters from O’Malley. The small explosion that occurred knocked Richard off his feet.
“Move again and I guarantee I won’t miss.” said Joshua, moving his finger to the trigger for the small laser’s bigger counterpart, one of the mech’s two ER mediums. Even a near miss with that weapon would fry O’Malley alive.
But O’Malley didn’t come out from behind the cloud of dust, or so it seemed. Joshua stepped forward, trying to get a better look. He glanced over at Daniel, but his son had disappeared.
“Damn, he’s got a stealth suit.” swore Joshua. “Amanda, I need you.”
Amanda’s mech, the Loki, was the only one even capable of seeing Richard when he had his suit activated. With its advanced Beagle Probe, she could detect something as minute as the buttons on Lisa’s clothing at this range. Her mech emerged from the woods behind Joshua to begin scanning.
Joshua disembarked and ran over to where Lisa was lying in the stream, heedless of the danger of an invisible O’Malley.
“Where is he?” snarled Joshua, as he helped his dazed wife to her feet.
“I can’t find him. I’m getting a lot of bad readings.” Responded Amanda on his headset radio.
“That doesn’t make sense. What’s wrong?”
“There’s an ECM field. O’Malley planned this well.”
Joshua’s scream of rage filled the New Belfast air as rain started to come down in torrents.
MacLeod City
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
19 June 3055
The stranger scribbled his name across the payment invoice. “So tell me, how is business?” he asked.
The hostel manager took the invoice and read over the name. “Pretty good, Mr. Martin. Getting better actually, now that Dal Pryde is dead and the Falcons seem to have lost interest in us.”
“Pryde is dead?” the stranger perked up at the news.
“Yeah, a year ago. They say General Messer took his sword and ran it through his throat.” The manager thrust his arm forward for dramatic effect, imitating how he thought Pryde’s execution was accomplished. “Brought us justice for that year under Pryde’s tender care.”
The stranger chuckled grimly. “I know. I was a prisoner for a time under that ‘tender care.’”
The manager shivered. “I don’t want to know what horrors you faced under Pryde and that monster O’Malley. But then,” The manager glanced downward to the stranger’s crotch, “you don’t exactly have the right equipment for O’Malley to have been interested in you.”
“True enough.”
“So a month then, Mr. Martin?”
“Quicker if I can manage it. Looking for a ship to take me aboard.”
“You star sailors. All alike. You journey from planet to planet like restless vagabonds. Then the job dries up, the company dumps you on some planet, and you wait until some other opportunity comes along.” The manager smiled. “I know your type. We get your kinda folk in here all the time, and the dropship captains know to come looking for you here. I’ll keep my eyes open. It shouldn’t be too long. As I said, with Pryde dead, New Belfast’s back in business again.”
“Good. This place holds some bad memories for me. I’d rather not stay longer than I have to.”
“I can imagine. Good day, Mr. Martin.”
Ski Resort
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
21 June 3055
Lisa rolled over and snuggled up against the warmth of her husband. “I’m so glad you brought us here.” She murmured under her breath.
“Daisaku found this place a few years ago.”
“I remember. Your guys’ weekend away when I was having my….troubles.” She rubbed her cheek against the stubble on his chin. “I’m so sorry for all that I put you through.”
“Stop it.” Said Joshua firmly, but gently. “I’ve long since forgiven all that, as I hope you’ve forgiven me.”
“I have.” She said, giving him a light kiss. She hovered over his face, as if uncertain what to do next. “Do you hear that?”
Joshua paused to listen. “Helicopters.”
“Coming for us.” Said Lisa. As if on cue, their personal communicators across the room began to beep with the recall signal. “Damn.”
“Oh, there’s still a little time.” Joshua grabbed her and rolled over. “We were working on another one.”
“There’s no…time.” She gasped slightly as he entered her. “Stop it you’ll wake him.”
Joshua looked back at the crib where Daniel was sleeping quietly. “Only if you cry out, my love.” He thrust again.
“You don’t make…it very easy.” She replied. Joshua laughed.
Their lovemaking was hurried, but ultimately still interrupted by the rapid knock at their door.
“Just…a…minute.” Barked Joshua to the door as he reached climax. He rolled off of Lisa. “Enter.” He ordered.
“Joshua!” exclaimed Lisa, grabbing for the covers. Joshua made no effort to cover his nudity.
Gwen entered and glanced over the couple. “I apologize for interrupting, but this is a matter of great urgency.”
“The Falcons had better be invading again.” Grumbled Joshua, as he stood up.
“I wish.” Said Gwen grimly. She held up a vid-chip. “This arrived less than an hour ago via ComStar. It will be broadcast planetwide once you and the Duke have seen it. Erik is waiting to give the word to release it to the public.”
“What is it?”
Gwen turned to the tri-vid screen and inserted the chip. Joshua picked up the waking Daniel as the screen flickered to life.
“Oh, my God.” Said Joshua. Behind him, Lisa let out a gasp of horror and grief.
“Yeah,” said Gwen. “Now you know.”
“This changes everything. Assemble the Swords.”
“Already done. Recall went out just a few minutes ago. You’d best get dressed and packed. Vacation’s over.”
MacLeod City
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
21 June 3055
The stranger bustled down the street with some haste. His face was filled with a look of frustration and it made the others walking the streets of New Belfast’s capital city pause and move aside to avoid a confrontation with this obviously angry man.
Above him, on the side of the New Belfast Broadcasting Building, one of the tallest in the city, was a giant tri-vid screen. Upon it, the network displayed its daily broadcast, the same as could be seen in any home, only here displayed upon a screen 10 meters in height. People often stopped in the street to gaze upward to see the latest news or weather report or the goings on of their favorite soap opera characters. Whatever grabbed their fancy. The presence of these gawkers only added to the stranger’s annoyance.
The screen flashed bright yellow with the words “Special Report” and the volume, already loud enough to be heard clearly in the city street below amplified to get people’s attention. The stranger stopped, as did everyone, to note what sort of emergency news the network was bringing to them. The last time it had done so was to broadcast word of Dal Pryde’s attack the year before.
The familiar image of two newscasters appeared on-screen. “We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcast for this special news report.” Said the one, visibly shaken. “It is our sad…” He sobbed for a moment and fought to regain his composure. “…our sad duty to inform you that Archon Melissa Steiner was assassinated on Tharkad two days ago.”
The second took over for his troubled partner. “This footage, arrived just moments ago…” The screen shifted to an image of carnage. “…comes to us from the Frederick Steiner Memorial Library, whose dedication the Archon was keynoting. A bomb blast ripped through the assembled delegates, killing dozens and wounding many more. We have received confirmation that Archon Melissa was among the deceased.”
“Son of a bitch, Steiner. What sort of mischief have you gotten into since I’ve been gone? The Conspiracy is dead or nearly so and you do this? Victor will slaughter us to the man in revenge.” The stranger shook his head in further frustration. “Madness. This whole rebellion has become an exercise in madness.”
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
22 June 3055
Joshua sat quietly as he looked over the latest news reports he’d received from the front. He sought distraction from the horrible news from Tharkad. Ten months, nearly a year, since Dal Pryde found final defeat on New Belfast. Ten months of peace, now shattered by an assassin’s bomb.
Peace may have reigned on New Belfast, but elsewhere was different. Prince Victor had fought back the Capellans in the Sarna March and fought back the Conspiracy until now it held only a fraction of the worlds it once did. Clustered around Northwind, the remaining rebels dug in and waited for what was now inevitable. But the hammer blow had not yet come. Victor found further distraction from Clan incursions near the Periphery border, the so-called Red Corsair.
“The warrior in him runs from battle to battle, as if dodging the tasks of head of state. I wonder if Steiner and O’Malley found vulnerability in our Prince’s distracted state.” Mused Joshua silently.
The sound of Daniel playing on Joshua’s office floor drew Joshua’s attention away from his thoughts. He smiled as his son battled toy Battlemechs against one other.
“It must be so easy for you, my son. But soon the warrior’s duty will be entrusted to you also.” Daniel looked up at his father, only barely understanding the meaning, but smiling nonetheless at his father’s voice.
There came a rap at the door. “Enter.” Barked Joshua.
Lisa walked in with Marian close behind. “It’s time.” She said.
Joshua nodded. “I know.” He stood up, gathered up the things he would need for the briefing. Marian moved to sit down on the floor next to Daniel, resuming as she so often did her task of babysitting the toddler when duty called away his parents.
“You be good, Daniel, with Auntie Marian while Mommy and Daddy have their meeting.”
“Ok.” Piped up the 2 year old.
“I got word today that they’ve finally gotten Gil-Galad put back together.” Said Joshua to his wife as they headed down the hall. It was obvious attempt to avoid the subject that weighed on everyone’s mind.
“Took them long enough.” Complained Lisa, playing along and grateful for the distraction. “It’s not that old a mech.”
“Mounting Clan technology weapons on an Inner Sphere frame can be a tricky proposition.”
“The Dark Rangers didn’t seem to have too much trouble with it.”
“Yeah, but they’ve got Doc.” Said Joshua. “I certainly wouldn’t mind having him on our team.”
“Logan would shoot you if you tried to recruit him away from them.”
“I know. Speaking of the Rangers, I’ve heard they’re back on Babeski after a successful year in the Combine. Came back with a new dropship and everything.”
“A new dropship?”
“Yeah, some experimental thing they stole from the Smoke Jaguars.”
“And the Combine let them keep it?”
“Not sure the Combine knew about it.”
“They’re going to need it.” Said Lisa, bring both their thoughts back to the real matter at hand.
“Yeah, I imagine so.” Together, they entered the briefing room.
“All rise!” barked Mechlanthon. “General Messer arriving.”
“As you were.” Said Joshua. It had been a long time since the Swords had used that level of formality, but the gravity of the last two days seem to merit it.
Joshua glanced past the assembled officers to the window that overlooked the headquarters grounds. Outside, the Federated Commonwealth flag flew at half-mast.
“Given recent events, I doubt it’s any surprise as to why I’ve called this briefing.” Began Joshua. “Daisaku on Evcilier will be apprised of our discussions, as they will have bearing on the 2nd Swords as well. Orders came down less than an hour ago from the hand of Victor himself. He’s accelerating his timetable to attack Northwind and bring Duke Ryan to heel.”
“As predicted. But you say orders?” said Erik.
“Yes, orders. Victor wants the Star Swords, both regiments, as part of the attack force. And he wants our help with something else.”
“What precisely?” asked Lisa.
“Victor knows, as I’ve long suspected, that most of the Highlanders have lost their stomach for this fight. Victor wants to subvert them and to that end he has put together a team to undermine completely their relationship with Duke Ryan. Heading up that team is your old friend Nathan Bairn.” Joshua looked at Lisa. “Nathan’s been given a lot of leeway in choosing his team. He’s asking for Justice to sign on again.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” Said Lisa grimly.
“It’s purely voluntary. Even if you choose not to go, my dear, I would like to send one of our own to Northwind nonetheless.” His eyes darted to Gwen, but even if they hadn’t, everyone knew she would be the one.
“Why? Victor will provide us all the recon we’d need.” Said Ryan.
“Prince Victor may be interested in subverting Highlanders. I’d like to subvert one of Duke Ryan’s other defenders. Reports have come in that at least one other unit is now garrisoning Northwind against us.”
“Fourth battalion.” Said Erik. “Juan’s brought Fourth battalion home to roost.”
“Yes, Juan Miranda’s been quite busy throughout this war, causing all sorts of trouble within the Combine, but he’s been recalled back to Northwind for the final stand. I’m prepared to offer him a bit of amnesty if he’ll order his forces to stand down and surrender when Victor launches his attack. I’m sure whatever attack force Victor is putting together will be relieved to not have to face down Clan Omnimechs.”
“A bit of amnesty? Explain.” Asked Ryan.
“Simple. He and his officers return with their stolen equipment to us here on New Belfast, with reduction in pay and rank as befits soldiers having gone AWOL.”
“A slap on the wrist?” Said Ryan with annoyance. “He betrayed us.”
“It’s a better offer than any he’ll receive from Prince Victor and he’ll know it too.”
“If Lisa refuses, I’ll go.” Said Gwen. “It’s what you had in mind anyway. I know Northwind almost as well as Lisa and I’ve also worked with Agent Bairn also.”
“As to the rest of us, as I said, Victor has requested the presence of both 1st and 2nd regiments’ mech forces for the final assault. We should be on the move as soon as possible. Victor will not long delay after his mother’s funeral to make the attack.”
“No, he’ll want to bring things to closure soon and decisively. This rebellion has gone on too long already and we have paid too dear a price for the delay.” Said Lisa. “There are murmurs, rumors. The Lyran sector is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with Prince Victor’s handling of the Conspiracy crisis.”
“And with Melissa now dead, those rumors will blow out of control.” Said Joshua. “Yes, this is a delicate time. With Melissa dead, the twin nations of the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns come together at last under one ruler. The Federated Commonwealth is now a reality in every way it can be. That’s a tall order for any man and all the more reason to bring those in open rebellion to heel now.”
Everyone in the room nodded. “Everyone, prepare your units for departure. Lisa, my dear, I hate pressure you about this, but I would have your answer within a day. You need to go on ahead of us to Northwind as soon as possible.”
Lisa nodded. “I know.”
“That is all. Dismissed.”
Shetland foothills, near Castle MacLeod
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
23 June 3055
The stranger crept through the woods silently. Nearby, he could hear the conversation: Two women together, with the additional sound of a small child laughing and playing nearby. He paused, leery of being discovered. His quarry was near.
“It seems each time I try to escape my past it comes back with a vengeance.” Mused the one. “Look at him, Gwen. Red hair, freckles, he’s more his father every day.”
“That’s not Daniel’s fault.” Said the other firmly. “Lisa, you can’t fault your son for his father’s crimes. Joshua doesn’t.”
“And I don’t want to. But it’s hard when every time I look at Daniel, I see Robert.”
“You need to put that behind you.”
“I know. But that’s my point. My past hangs on me like the literary albatross. Now Joshua wants me to go back to Northwind, back to there, back to all those horrid memories.”
“You can refuse that request. I’ve already told Joshua I will go in your stead. Bairn can live without Justice. You don’t need to do that to yourself.”
“No, Gwen, I do. Juan knows me, we fought together, bled together. He’ll listen to me. You are a newcomer, a stranger to him. He has no reason to trust what you say. He’ll believe me.”
“So, seeking to subvert Agent Miranda, are they? No surprises there. The fewer Conspiracy troops they face when the inevitable invasion comes, the easier their victory will be.” Mused their hidden observer silently.
“Then you’ve made up your mind.” Said Gwen, rubbing her horse on the nose.
“I have.” Said Lisa, watching little Daniel as he waded in a nearby stream.
The stranger stepped forward from the woods. It was time to put his plan in motion.
Lisa and Gwen both spun with a start at his appearance. “Afternoon, ladies. It was been a while.”
Gwen’s sword flashed from its scabbard with blinding speed. “O’Malley! Here?”
O’Malley’s pistol spoke once and Gwen went sprawling. “Typical Star Sword. Drawing a blade when a gun would do.”
Lisa broke into a run, scooping up Daniel from the stream and running towards her own horse. O’Malley’s gun spoke twice more. The horses let loose agonized whinnies as the bullets tore into them both.
“Oh, no, you’re not escaping me this time. You and your son.”
Those words chilled Lisa to the bone. He wasn’t just after her. She went to where Gwen lay unmoving in the grass. Dropping Daniel beside her, she picked up Gwen sword. It was the only weapon they had.
“So much better this way, isn’t it?” said O’Malley. “You’ve been itching for this fight for some time now.”
“You’ll not take my son.” Said Lisa, bringing the sword up between them.
“Oh, but I will. He is my brother’s heir. An O’Malley, as your conversation a minute ago made perfectly clear.” Richard fired again. The bullet tore into her left shoulder and passed through. Lisa spun from the shock of the impact and dropped to the ground. She struggled back to her feet.
“But I’m not interested in what you want.” O’Malley continued. “Dead by blade or gun, it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll not make the same mistake twice of allowing you to linger long enough for some cavalry to come to the rescue. But it’s my brother’s son I’m here for. You’re just icing on the cake.”
With that, O’Malley moved to snatch the crying Daniel. Lisa hauled herself to her feet, sword still in hand. She swung at O’Malley. He parried with the only thing he had available, his pistol. The blow smashed the gun beyond repair and went through to cut a nasty gash in Richard’s hand.
“You’ll have to finish me before I let you touch him.” She said with ferocity. “Daniel, run!” The toddler, frightened by his mother’s frantic tone, did as he was told, wobbling up the hill as fast as his short legs could carry him.
Richard backhanded Lisa, sending her sprawling. He then headed up the hill after Daniel, turning his back on Lisa. Lisa dove for his ankles, knocking him down with a tackle. Lisa was first back on her feet and raised her sword to strike a killing blow.
O’Malley rolled over and slammed both feet into Lisa’s gut. The blow knocked the wind out of her and she went flying down the hill. Rather than repeat the mistake of turning his back to Lisa, he pressed his attack, jumping to his feet and heading after her.
Lisa had staggered back to her feet when O’Malley came upon her. His first move was to grab her sword arm, keeping the deadly weapon from him. Lisa responded by smashing a series of punches to his face. Although not as strong as O’Malley, especially so with her wounded shoulder, her blows were well aimed, striking his right eye and temple repeatedly. Richard slammed her elbow against his knee, snapping the bone and causing Lisa to drop her sword. The sudden pain of having her arm broken made her cease her attack.
O’Malley, using her injured arm as leverage, threw her into the stream. Hitting the cold water revived Lisa somewhat, and she grabbed the nearest object she could find, a rock. Standing up, she threw the rock with her good arm, striking Richard dead center of his chest. There was a crack and Lisa knew she’d broken his breastbone.
O’Malley staggered for a second, and Lisa was on him like lightning. She slammed her knee into his gut, causing him to double over. She then brought her knee against his injured chest, once, twice, three times before O’Malley lost his footing and fell over in pain.
“Damnit, die already.” She snarled.
Lisa tried to press her advantage by stomping down on the back of his neck, but Richard rolled over, snagging her leg in the process. With her leg pulled out from under her, Lisa went down, landing on her wounded arm. Agony shot through her body as she hit, stunning her for a critical few seconds.
O’Malley grabbed her by her shirt collar and hoisted her into the air. “I underestimated you again, Lady Lisa.” he gasped. “You prove tougher each time. But not again.”
“This isn’t over yet.” Lisa slammed her foot forward, catching him just below the rib cage. O’Malley dropped her and doubled over, falling into the stream as he did so. “You will never take my son away from me.” she swore, kicking him repeatedly.
O’Malley, mustering what little strength he had left, caught one of those kicks in mid-motion, and shoved backwards against Lisa. That unbalanced her and knocked her into the water. Richard grabbed a rock of his own and smashed it down on Lisa’s head as she tried to stand. She slumped into the cold water.
He was about to hold her under to finish her when he felt the earth tremor. “Damn!” he swore and he staggered to his feet. Clearing the trees not more than 100 meters behind him was a Cauldron Born battlemech. It raised its right arm as O’Malley dashed up the hill after Daniel, trying to close the distance between himself and the child before the mech opened fire. The aforementioned cavalry was here.
Joshua had been nearby taking his mech out for a spin with Ryan and Amanda when he heard the tell tale sound of a pistol shot. Knowing that spelled trouble, he’d headed in the direction of the sound. Now he found his wife in a life-and-death struggle with someone he was astonished to see on New Belfast.
Joshua pressed his finger on the trigger of his small laser. A crimson beam of light lanced out from the mech’s right arm, superheating the soil not more than three meters from O’Malley. The small explosion that occurred knocked Richard off his feet.
“Move again and I guarantee I won’t miss.” said Joshua, moving his finger to the trigger for the small laser’s bigger counterpart, one of the mech’s two ER mediums. Even a near miss with that weapon would fry O’Malley alive.
But O’Malley didn’t come out from behind the cloud of dust, or so it seemed. Joshua stepped forward, trying to get a better look. He glanced over at Daniel, but his son had disappeared.
“Damn, he’s got a stealth suit.” swore Joshua. “Amanda, I need you.”
Amanda’s mech, the Loki, was the only one even capable of seeing Richard when he had his suit activated. With its advanced Beagle Probe, she could detect something as minute as the buttons on Lisa’s clothing at this range. Her mech emerged from the woods behind Joshua to begin scanning.
Joshua disembarked and ran over to where Lisa was lying in the stream, heedless of the danger of an invisible O’Malley.
“Where is he?” snarled Joshua, as he helped his dazed wife to her feet.
“I can’t find him. I’m getting a lot of bad readings.” Responded Amanda on his headset radio.
“That doesn’t make sense. What’s wrong?”
“There’s an ECM field. O’Malley planned this well.”
Joshua’s scream of rage filled the New Belfast air as rain started to come down in torrents.
Chapter Twenty-seven - The Final Solution
Reynolds Collective
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
6 August 3054
“Why are you here, Khan Phelan?” asked Dal Pryde boldly of the smaller man.
“The Star Swords are not the Falcon’s prey alone. We seek the honor of this battle as well.”
“Your Clan failed in its appointed task two centuries ago. It has fallen to others now. Begone!”
“If this is to make up for a past failure, then Falcons and Wolves stand here for the same reason.” Mocked Khan Phelan. “With what forces do you intend to defend your right to destroy these vermin?”
“I bid myself and my Warhawk.”
“That is all?” said Phelan, surprised.
“Aff.”
Pryde had tricked saKhan Phelan Ward. He had hoped to force the Falcons into committing a large force to the Trial, making them incapable of fighting the larger Star Swords regiment. Now, no matter what his answer to the bid, he would at best destroy one mech. Victory in the Trial meant nothing to the Wolves. Ward and his subordinates did not believe the Falcon claim that the Star Swords were the long lost Not-Named Clan. Pryde had forced their hand; Either they bid honorably and possibly lose the Trial without the hoped-for destruction of the Falcon ranks, or they win by superior numbers and be forced to face the enemy they had not intended to truly fight.
Phelan offered a small prayer mentally before responding to Pryde’s bid. The Swords are on their own now. “I will face you myself, Star Colonel. Well bargained and done.”
Phelan turned and headed for one the newest models fielded by Clan Wolf, the Linebacker. A fast 65 ton machine, it was designed for speed, not firepower. Against Pryde’s massive Warhawk, Phelan would need all the speed he could get to stay ahead of those lethal PPCs.
Pryde climbed aboard his machine. His computers had little information on the new Wolf machine, but he dismissed that in his own mind. “I have him by 20 tons. This battle is meaningless anyway. I have taken the teeth from the Wolves.” He smiled as his machine hummed to life. “Their plan has failed. I will not be thwarted from annihilating these Not-Named barbarians. Not by you. Not by anyone.”
Pryde charged forward, confident he could easily overpower his foe. Khan Phelan dashed for a nearby hill, hoping to use speed and cover to his advantage. It worked. A pair of PPC bolts and a volley of LRMs flashed past Phelan’ Linebacker, but did not land. Phelan dropped his crosshairs on Pryde’s Warhawk and fired. One PPC went wide, but the second bored into Pryde’s left torso.
Pryde closed the distance, but the hill prevented him from taking another shot. He watched and waited, but Khan Phelan did not emerge. Determined not to play a game of tag with the faster machine, he brought his mech to a stop and waited for his enemy to grow impatient and come out.
He got his moment. After several seconds, Phelan’s Linbacker made a dash for a nearby copse of trees. Pryde brought his machine up to a slow walk and dropped his crosshairs onto his foe. “Now I have you.” Three PPCs flashed out, striking the upper torso of the Wolf machine. Angered, Pryde pulled back on the control stick, allowing the PPC beams to slide upward towards the head and the cockpit of the mech. The top of the Linebacker’s head exploded as Phelan ejected.
“Too easy. I hope the Not-Named give better sport.” Thought Pryde to himself. “I claim your machine as isolra, Khan Phelan.” He said into his radio, thinking the new Wolf machine quite a prize. He switched channels to David’s frequency. “Now to the real task, Star Captain. Ready the troops. We march south.”
MacLeod Pass
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
7 August 3054
“Enemy contacts ahead, sir.” Said an uncertain Leftenant Akron to Javier.
“Report, soldier. What do we have?”
“Five contacts. Looks like a forward patrol.”
“Our first catch. Alpha company, with me. The rest of you hold position. We’ll handle these.”
Javier pushed Galileo III forward as the 3rd Battalion’s command lance and Alpha company surged ahead of the rest of the Swords. Javier was still growing accustomed to Galileo III’s powerful arsenal and his men were still growing accustomed to his presence as their new commander. Between the obvious problems those two things caused, Javier was glad their first contact with the enemy was an unfortunate band of scouts.
The five Falcon mechs had been standing idle, and were just now taking up defensive positions when Javier and his troops came upon them. “Let’s see what you can do, Mr. Galileo.” Said Javier, programming the targeting computer to lock onto the lead Falcon mech, a Fenris.
The computer registered the lock and Javier pressed on his triggers. He was amazed to see out of his canopy that the arms of the mech actually moved on their own to make the shot. The gauss cannon and four lasers made short work of the 45 ton Fenris.
---
“Star Colonel Pryde, we cannot hold position. Star Sword advance force consists of one company. We must withdraw.” Chattered the frightened Star Commander.
“Understood. Withdraw to Nav Point Mu and await the enemy there.”
“Sir?”
“Do as you are told, warrior.” Snarled Pryde. “ETA 25 minutes.”
The Falcon mechs slowly backpedaled away from the Star Swords, firing off a few cover shots before turning and breaking into a full run.
---
“Hah, they are running!” proclaimed Javier defiantly. “I did not think the Clans ever ran. Alpha company, in pursuit. We’ll run them down like dogs.”
The mechs of the Falcon scout star were faster than the machines of Alpha Company, particularly the Inner Sphere Hatchetman models used by the company. Javier quickly grew frustrated as the enemy mechs began to get farther and farther away. He watched on his radar as the mechs fled from him. Suddenly, the Clan mechs made a sharp turn and began to head due east.
“That’s into the ridge. What are they doing?” thought Javier. “Leftenant, confirm radar contacts with enemy.”
Akron looked at his own readout. “Confirming contacts, sir. Looks like they’re going up the High Pass.”
“The High Pass?”
“Yes, sir. There are two main roads leading down the MacLeod Ridge to the end of the peninsula. One is MacLeod Pass, the wider more open pass, which we are in now. The other is High Pass, which is a winding road across the top of the east ridge. It’s mostly used for scenic travel.”
“Tactical evaluation of the High Pass.”
“Highly defensible position, but difficult as hell to move any volume of material over it. They’d be fodder for aerospace up there.”
“Libereux to Iolair, I need aerial recon of the High Pass. Some of the Clan mechs have decided to hide out up there.”
“Smart boys,” said Erik flippantly. “By the way, sir, our tactical feed is sketchy back here at HQ. Do you have a fix on the main Falcon force?”
“Negative. Main Falcon force’s location is uncertain at this time.”
“Don’t you think we’d best find them?”
“They won’t get down the pass without running into us. I’m not concerned.”
“A little overconfi…..”
“Just get me that recon, pilot.”
“Roger, General Libereux. Iolair out.”
“Akron.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’re going in after them.”
“You just called in aerial recon. Aren’t you going to wait?” said Akron incredulously.
“No, because Erik is right about one thing. We don’t know where the bulk of the Falcons are right now. I want us to take up those positions in the High Pass. We’ll use Alpha company to flank the Falcons when they come past to fight with the rest of the battalion.”
“An ambush?” Akron liked the idea.
“We should have the firepower to knock out that star. There are only four mechs left anyway.”
“Yes, sir. We should.”
“Let’s go then.”
Javier led the way into the High Pass, a narrow rocky road that looked poorly maintained by New Belfast’s Highway Authority. The road was barely wide enough for two mechs abreast, sandwiched between the granite crags that made up the MacLeod Ridge’s geology.
“There’s one!” called Akron. His Uller opened fire with its autocannon a half second later.
Javier, startled, quickly scanned the ridge, zoning in on where the Uller’s tracer shells were landing. Sure enough, there was a Falcon mech there, a Fenris. Javier cursed himself for not seeing it.
“There’s a lot of hiding places up here.”
LRM fire rained down on them from above. Javier saw the smoky trails of the arching missiles and pressed down hard on his mech’s foot-pedals. Galileo III picked up into a run as the missiles rippled across the trail behind him, raking Akron’s mech with fire.
“Leftenant, damage report.”
“I’m hit, but not bad.” He said, flustered. “Where’s the missile boat?”
“There!” cried an Alpha company warrior. Lasers from his Nightsky raked a ledge some 20 meters above them, ripping into a well hidden Dragonfly.
“That’s two. Where are the others?” said Javier, firing a volley of lasers at the Fenris. Now that he could see and track the enemy mech, his skill at gunnery began to show. Even without the help of the Ryoken’s advanced computer, Javier was a crack shot. The Fenris’s left leg exploded as the lasers bored through it. The mech toppled over and landed face down in the dirt.
The Dragonfly fired its jump jets and landed behind the bulk of the Swords force. “Get him!” snarled Javier. “If he escapes he’ll ruin our ambush.”
The Dragonfly pilot was more resourceful than that. Irene Gordon and Charlie Lance of the company stood between him and freedom. He fired his twin lasers from the mech’s right arm into Gordon’s Jenner, blowing its head off and killing the lance commander instantly. Enraged, Charlie Lance tore after the fleeing mech, each member hoping to avenge their fallen leader.
With the Sword’s focus on the escaping Dragonfly, the remaining two scout mechs attacked. Two Ullers moved out from their hiding places to open fire with their autocannons on the backs of Alpha company. Javier turned about, annoyed to be ambushed. “They don’t fight like Clanners. These folks play dirty.”
Javier dropped his crosshairs onto the first Uller and cut loose with a full volley. The mech blew apart under the withering firepower of the gauss and lasers. Thinking he was facing off against Joshua, and after witnessing such a display of gunnery that gave him little reason to think otherwise, the other Uller pilot began to retreat further up the pass.
Javier was about to pursue him personally when he heard desperate cries from Charlie Lance. “Clear the channels.” He ordered. “What’s going on?”
“Enemy contacts, sir. At least a dozen and rising.”
Javier’s own radar began to light up as well. He cursed his bad luck. The Falcon main force was here, earlier than he expected. It also knew he was in the High Pass. They were coming for him up the narrow road.
“Sir, their elementals will make short work of us in this restricted terrain.” Warned Akron.
“I know. We need to get out of here. Libereux to Beta and Charlie Companies.”
“Beta Commander here.”
“Jade Falcon force has taken the entrance to the High Pass and has cut us off. Hit their flank as hard as you can. We need to get out of this pass and need your help to do it.”
“Roger, sir. We’re on our way.”
“They’ll be at least ten minutes, sir. The Falcons will reach us in less than two.”
“I know.”
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
7 August 3054
Daisaku slammed his fist down in frustration on the communications console in front of him. “Damn that fool!” he snarled aloud. “Joshua would never have allowed himself to be so easily trapped.”
“Daisaku, I need a sit-rep.” came a welcome and familiar voice over the headset.
“Joshua?”
“Yeah, it’s me. I’m powering up. Going to take this Cauldron Born out for a spin. Lisa and Gwen are with me. What’s the situation with Javier?”
“Our new leader just himself trapped up inside the High Pass.” Reported Daisaku. “I’ve ordered the rest of 3rd Battalion to keep pressure on the Falcons to prevent them from pushing on Javier’s position. I was about to call up 1st Battalion and send them in to help.”
“Good plan. Do it. I’ll lead 1st personally.”
“Joshua, if Javier finds out….”
“Let him. If he survives, he’s failed his test of leadership. The Swords will never follow him, never concede to his orders again. If he doesn’t, what does it matter?”
“It’ll be two hours at least until you can get 1st battalion into position.”
“Then let’s hope Javier’s as tough as he boasts.”
High Pass
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
7 August 3054
Javier triggered his lasers into an oncoming Thor. The close confines of the pass gave the badly outnumbered Alpha Company one helpful advantage, that of close-quarter fighting. Inner Sphere pilots, and the Swords were no exception, preferred the short range battle.
That was their only advantage however, as Javier tried desperately to cut his way through the Clan cluster. Any semblance of a battle plan had long since been lost. Every man and woman was for himself now. It was escape at all costs.
“General Libereux, we have struck the Falcon flank.” Came the message from the leader of Bravo Company. To Javier, it was pure music.
“Time to get out of here.” He thought. “Cut us a path.”
“We’ll try.”
The Thor seemed determined to prevent Javier from getting away. Javier fired a gauss shell into the Thor’s right arm, robbing it of a major weapon. A Masakari began to work its way through the Clan lines, and to Javier’s surprise, the Thor stepped back.
“That must be Colonel Pryde.” Thought Javier. “I can’t take him with my mech in this condition.”
Javier watched as the ports of the Masakari’s PPC began to glow. Rather than face the catastrophic hit, he took a step backwards and let himself fall off the road into a shallow gorge. The PPC blasts roared over his head and into the rock wall behind him.
Not waiting to assess how much damage the fall had done, Javier jerked his mech into a run and tore down the gorge at top speed. Its narrow walls allowed him no room to maneuver, but his pursuers seemed unwilling to follow him down.
Javier emerged out on the open plain that separated the two ridges of MacLeod Pass. He was out and allowed himself a sigh of relief. “Alpha Company, Command Lance, report. Who’s left?”
Only four members of the sixteen mech team reported in. “Damn. I should have listened to Joshua. Pryde was more crafty than I anticipated.”
“Libereux to all Swords. Withdraw to Waypoint Charlie to regroup and reload. They’ve won this round, but they’re not going anywhere.”
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
7 August 3054
Joshua ran his hand up the paint scheme of the Cauldron Born. The mech had never been used, save for a few practice runs.
“I was beginning to wonder if that machine was ever going to see battle.” Commented Mechlanthon.
“Well, seeing as Javier is in Galileo III, what choices do I have?”
“Time is of the essence, General.” Reminded the Clansman.
“I know.” Joshua climbed the ladder into the mech’s cockpit. “Command lance, report in.”
“Command two, ready.” Said Lisa from her Phoenix Hawk.
“Command three, ready.” Said Gwen, in a borrowed Nightsky.
“Command four, ready.” Came Mechlanthon at last, still strapping himself into his Grendel’s cockpit.
“Good. First battalion, this is General Messer. Move out.”
“Good to hear your voice, Joshua.” Came the reply. It was Ryan.
The mechs marched northward, heading into the New Belfast night. It was a good 100 kilometers to the High Pass, a two hour run for the mechs of 1st Battalion.
Gwen thumbed her communications panel, setting it to tightbeam mode and targeted Lisa’s Phoenix Hawk.
“You have been surprisingly magnanimous to one who tried to steal your husband from you.” Said Gwen.
“The latest crisis is of greater concern to me,” replied Lisa.
“We have the time. Warfare is after all, as the old saying goes, 90% boredom and 10% hell. We’re in the midst of the 90% part.”
“True. What do you want of me, Gwen?”
“To know where I stand.”
“You’re no threat, so why bear a grudge?”
“What makes you so certain?” said Gwen.
“You had your chance. You failed and you conceded defeat. It’s that simple.”
“And you don’t think I’ll try again?”
“No, you love him too much to make such a nuisance of yourself.” Said Lisa. “Gwen, I know my husband. And I’ve known you in a sense also. When I first met Joshua, you were always in his thoughts. I knew any woman that could make Joshua feel that strongly had to be a remarkable individual. And now having met you in the flesh I see that I was right.”
“But I tried to steal him back from you.”
“You did, but you could only have done that if Joshua let you. And he did. He did because I was not what he needed. I was too consumed with my own issues to be the woman I had once been. You came along at the most inopportune time.”
“You shouldn’t lay blame on yourself for what happened. I’m the one who seduced him.”
Lisa laughed. “And that’s the sort of thing I’m talking about, Gwen. You have just enough guilt about what you did that you’re more concerned about me than your own position. I don’t blame myself, at least not for that.”
She paused and her tone shifted serious again. “I know what I went through, the pain of what Robert O’Malley did to me. I don’t blame myself for what happened. It’s merely understanding that I was just not there for Joshua and you were. Hence, what happened on Dieron. No, if there’s to be blame on my part, it is what I did after the fact, running away, abandoning husband and son. I left the door open for you and in you walked, as would anyone I suspect. The vacuum needed to be filled.”
Lisa paused to let that sink in. “The simple fact of the matter, Gwen, is that we’re all three guilty of some sin in this. You meddled where you should not have, Joshua betrayed his promises to me, and I abandoned my own. There is guilt aplenty. But we’re also all victims, and maybe that’s what O’Malley intended all along. Even from the grave, he sought to destroy us and very nearly did. And the only way to deny him his victory is to do what we are starting to do, forgive each other and put it all behind us.”
“I guess I just didn’t expect you to be so forgiving. After all, the last time we encountered one another, you shot me.”
“Yeah, I remember. Sorry about that.”
Gwen looked down at the control panels of her borrowed mech. It was a bit different than the Kurita-built Wolf Trap she had become so accustomed to in her ISF service, but she liked the Nightsky layout even a bit better. She thumbed her communications panel again, this time to Joshua.
“How’s the Cauldron Born working out for you?”
“I like it. Solid. Strong mix of firepower. A good generalist machine. I could used to this.”
“They were potent enemies on Luthien, where we captured the one you’re piloting. It’s a good machine. It’ll serve you well.”
“Good, the rest of the battalion is moving up behind us. Let’s get going. Javier and the others are in bad shape. We’ve not a moment to lose.”
---
“This is where it all comes together, Joshua.” he said to himself as he and the others arrived at the southern entrance to the High Pass. “The final reckoning with Dal Pryde. Javier’s led the 3rd Battalion to slaughter at the other end of the pass. So much for his rhetoric of sparing lives and equipment. He will pay dearly for his short-sightedness and treason.”
His headset radio signaled. "This is Messer. What's going on?"
“Enemy contact. Pryde’s on the move. He’s coming towards us through the pass.” It was Lisa.
“Distance to target?”
“About seven kilometers.”
Joshua mused for a second as he looked over his tactical map. It showed the entire length of the High Pass, with the surviving elements of 3rd Battalion at the northern entrance to the pass and the bulk of the Clan cluster moving southward down it. “Gwen, can you hear me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Signal Javier and tell him to attack the Falcon rear.”
“He’s in bad shape, Joshua.” she returned. “He’ll not be willing to do that.”
“A hit and fade. I just need the Jaegers to turn around.”
“Josh, we have another problem.” Said Lisa. Gil-Galad’s arm pointed to the sky behind him.
Joshua looked over his shoulder towards the sea. The ugly dark grey clouds loomed ominously close. “Great.” He grumbled “How long?”
“An hour maybe.”
“What is it?” inquired Gwen.
“A spectre storm.” Answered Lisa. “Hurricane winds, rain, snow, and the like. In the cold regions of this planet they can freeze you to the bone in a matter of minutes. One of them is closing on us fast.”
“It may work to our favor.” Said Joshua. “It keeps the Falcons blind and keeps their aerospace grounded.”
---
Back at the command center, Daisaku groaned, half from his sore body, half from frustration. Outside, the wind was howling.
“As least you’re feeling better.” Said Erik, frustrated that the storm’s sudden arrival had grounded his planes.
"Damn this weather." swore Daisaku. "The EM interference is going to keep us from keeping track of Joshua's movements.”
“That was part of his plan.” Reminded Erik. “The Falcons don’t know he’s brought reinforcements up.”
“Makes it hard on us back here though.”
“Joshua knew we’d have no way of knowing how the battle will go. That’s why he left 4th Battalion behind.”
“Don’t say that.” Said Daisaku emphatically. “If he fails, Pryde will kill him. If he fails and somehow manages to survive Pryde, Javier will kill him. This is it.”
---
“I do not like this.” Mused David.
“Our position is secure. This narrow passageway concentrates our fire against anyone who dares follow us southward.” Replied Pryde. “That, and the incoming spectre storm should allow us to approach the Swords base without detection.”
“They know we are here. The Swords units behind us have reported our position to their headquarters.” Said David.
“Without aerospace, they cannot track us. Take your star ahead. I doubt there is anything out there, but I want to be certain.”
“Aff, Star Colonel.” Said David. He moved his Rifleman IIc to the front with the rest of his scout star tagging behind. The storm had just begun and rain and wind had started in earnest. Even with his searchlights on, the heavy rain and dark clouds obscured his vision. The scout star was barely visible.
"This storm may allow us to approach MacLeod City undetected, but it will prevent us from seeing our opponents as well." thought David to himself. "We must see Messer in order to kill him."
Suddenly, the radio was filled with chatter. David tried to listen in, but between the storm-induced static and the quantity of transmissions he could not make out much.
“They don’t give up do they?” said David to himself. The radio chatter could only mean one thing: the Swords force at their rear was pushing southward down the pass again. He opened a channel to Star Colonel Pryde. “Scout star requesting orders.”
“Hold your position. We are going to turn and finish these vagabonds once and for all.”
“Aff.” Responded David. He looked at his tactical monitor. Although mostly scrambled by the storm, he could still make out the bulk of the Jaeger force turning to finish off 3rd Battalion. Then he noticed something else: Signals to the southeast.
“Star Colonel….” He began. There was a sudden flash of light which made David jump. A lightning bolt struck a nearby mountain side; its thunderclap deafening at such close range. His radio squealed with the sudden burst of EM radiation.
“Star Captain, enemy contacts!” said one of his starmates.
David cursed his luck. The lightning strike had scrambled his radio just long enough for Pryde to move too far away to receive a legible transmission. David torso twisted to his right to see the dark form of an unfamiliar mech in the heavy rain. It was not any Inner Sphere design he knew, nor any Clan. All he knew was that it was painted in Star Swords colors.
Tracer fire leaped from the unknown mech’s right arm. The heavy shells tore huge jagged holes in the armor of David’s arm. “That’s a Class 20 cannon!” He thought as panic entered his mind.
Behind it, he could make out the outline of a Nightsky, a Phoenix Hawk, and a Grendel. A lance of Star Swords to the south? David was smart enough to know what it probably meant. The Swords had moved their reinforcements up the Pass from the south. The Jaegers were now trapped!
---
Gwen dropped the crosshairs of her Nightsky’s large laser onto a Clan Uller. She fired. The pulse laser laced across the machine dead center, slagging its armor.
"The enemy appears to be withdrawing." said Lisa. A burst of static came across her radio as Joshua responded.
"They don’t know how few we are in the storm. Let's not let them group up with the rest of their cluster. Press the attack.”
Joshua pressed the trigger for his twin heavy lasers. The twin beams flashed brightly in the dark canyon, boring two more ugly gashes in the battered Rifleman. Joshua knew whose mech it was he was fighting: Pryde’s aide-de-camp, David.
David lowered his quad pulse lasers and let loose a full barrage into the Cauldron Born. Steam erupted around the Rifleman as the rain struck the mech's overworked heat sinks. The impact scarred the Cauldron Born’s armor, but did not seem to phase it much more.
"Damn, he's good." thought Joshua. “Pryde chooses well for his associates, even if they’re screwed up off the battle field.”
Mechlanthon picked out an opponent of his own, another Grendel, and let loose into it with his eight machine guns. Machine gun shells ricocheted off armor, sanding through the enemy mech’s vital right arm and destroying the twin heavy lasers stored there.
The battle was mismatched from the start. Taken by surprise, David’s star could not hope to hold against Joshua’s aggressive attack, even with numbers and firepower on his side. Lasers and autocannon ripped back and forth and soon David found himself alone, his starmates machines now scrap along the road of the High Pass.
“I may go down, but I will take you with me.” He said to himself as he dropped his reticule on the Cauldron Born again. He squeezed his trigger, but the rain and wind distorted his aim and his shots went wide. Joshua’s return fire was far more accurate, as his autocannon tore into the Rifleman’s left hip. David's mech began to fall and he fired his ejection capsule to escape.
"Joshua, how are you doing?" asked Gwen.
“This mech is tough. I’m hurt but not bad.” He moved his mech alongside hers. “Their flank is open. 1st Battalion, move up. All mechs top speed. We’ll cut right through them.”
---
“So there you are!” said Pryde as his computer outlined the figure of a Stormcrow. “Our half-decade long battle ends today, Joshua.”
Pryde did not hold back. He fired four PPC blasts into the battered figure of Galileo III. The four beams plowed into the mech, destroying vital systems, and catching some of its exposed myomer ablaze.
Javier had not expected the frost-colored Masakari to gun for him. His mech was already battered from the two battles the day before. Now this bully was intent upon picking his wounded mech apart.
“We meet once more for the last time, Khan Messer.” Said Pryde. Javier, who’d never met the Falcon commander, suddenly realized why the Masakari was after him.
“Star Colonel Pryde, we meet at last.” Said Javier with false cockiness.
“Who are you?” demanded the Jaegers commander.
“I am Khan Javier Libereux. Joshua Messer has been removed from command.”
“That is unfortunate. I had hoped we could have one final glorious battle before I crushed him. No matter, I will kill you instead.”
“Forget that usurper, Pryde. I’m right here.” Said a new voice.
“Messer!” cried Dal, turning his mech to face the Cauldron Born at the head of the column of Star Swords rushing his position from the south.
“Joshua!” stammered Javier in surprise. He resented the fact that he was actually thankful Joshua was here.
“Pull back, Javier. He’s mine.”
“No, I am Khan. You don’t give orders here.” With that, he throttled up and moved to close with Pryde’ Masakari.
“Damn fool!” snarled Joshua to himself. He too moved his mech forward, trying to flank Pryde.
Pryde was in an awkward position tactically. He had two enemy machines bearing down on him, both determined to gain the glory of his kill. But Pryde was delighted in the opportunity. In addition to Messer, he now had another admitted Not-Named facing him. He relished the idea of claiming two Not-Named kills instead of just one.
He held position for a few seconds, then jammed his machine’s throttle forward. He had waited until just the precise moment to place an outcropping of rock between himself and Joshua’s Cauldron Born, giving himself a clear shot at Javier’s Ryoken without fear of reprisal from Messer.
“Now, ‘Khan’ Libereux, let us see what manner of warrior you are.” Said Pryde tauntingly. He cut loose with a trio of his PPCs all aimed dead center in the damaged Ryoken. All three struck home on Galileo III, boring clean through the center of the mech and disintegrating the machine’s engine shielding. White hot plasma erupted about the mech as it blew apart.
“Javier!” cried Joshua as he saw the explosion.
“Your successor was clearly less than worthy.”
“Gwen, did you see Javier eject?”
“Neg. There’s no sign.”
“You son of a bitch!” snarled Joshua at Pryde. His anger surprised him somewhat. Yes, Javier was a rival, even an enemy, but he was Wolverine.
“Now, it is your turn, Messer.” proclaimed Pryde with cockiness.
Joshua backpedaled for a moment to assess the situation, then thought better of it and charged forward. Pryde attempted to get a shot at Joshua around the rock outcropping that he had so cleverly used to block Joshua’s fire before, but now found Joshua using the same terrain against him.
Frustrated, Pryde came around and opened fire, but of his volley of PPCs only one landed on the Cauldron Born. Joshua, dashing away from the monster 85-ton machine, fired off a snap shot to his rear and slashed some armor from the Masakari.
But Pryde now had a clear shot at Joshua and his next volley was more accurate. Landing two PPCs into the Cauldron Born. Joshua returned fire, putting another laser blast into the enemy machine.
“He outweighs me and outguns me. I’ve got to regain initiative here or he’ll rip me apart as easily as he did Javier!”
Joshua spun his machine around and charged back towards Pryde. He dropped his reticule onto the Masakari and smiled as the Class 20 autocannon spun to life. Lasers cut into the Jade Falcon machine as Joshua walked the cannon fire across the left arm of Pryde’s machine. Joshua smiled as the shells hammered through the armor and tore into the mech’s shoulder, locking the arm and fouling permanently any efforts by Pryde to fire the weapons in it.
But Pryde was not standing idle. His own volley of weapons struck home on Joshua’s machine, ripping into the last of his armor on his right arm. Joshua felt the mech lurch as the arm came off. “Son of a bitch! He’s better than I remember him.”
Pulse lasers ripped into Pryde from the right hand side. Gwen had joined the fray!
“Gwen, be mindful. He hits like a freight train.”
“He can’t kill all of us.” Said Lisa, as her Phoenix Hawk jetted over the Masakari and landed opposite it.
“Starvag! I should have known you’d resort to this! Dezgra! Not-Named scum!”
“Would you like some cheese with that whine, Pryde?” Said Joshua, thumbing the autocannon’s trigger again. The shells shredded through the Masakari’s torsos. Joshua saw on his sensors the heat spike from engine damage.
“Surrender, Pryde.” Demanded Joshua. “Your mech is crippled and you cannot escape us.”
“Never.”
“Suit yourself.” Lasers cut out from the Cauldron Born and finished what was left of the Masakari’s engine. The Masakari shuttered violently as its engine shut down and tipped over into the mud.
“This is General Messer to all Falcon warriors. Pryde is defeated. I offer you hegira. Take my offer or be destroyed. You are outnumbered and surrounded. There is no escape. No one will come to help you. Choose now or die.”
“This is Star Captain Taman Malthus. We accept your offer.”
“I claim Star Colonel Pryde as my bondsman. Take the rest of your warriors and go.”
“Well bargained and done, General. We are withdrawing.”
“General Messer to all Star Swords, let them go. Round up our wounded and get them to medical aid. Move in salvage teams to recover what we can of their destroyed mechs. We’ll set up temporary headquarters at that village at the base of the pass.”
---
As the spectre storm continued to rage outside, Joshua shook the rain off his shoulders and out of his hair. “General, we have him.” Said Gwen.
“Good.” Said Joshua. “And Javier?”
“Dead.” She said flatly.
Joshua let out his breath. “That’s regrettable. He was one of us, however misguided his ambitions.”
“Yeah.” Gwen said softly.
“You okay?”
“He was…a good friend for many years. For so long, it was just us. He was all I had of home for so long.” Gwen wiped away a tear.
Joshua gave her an affectionate pat on the shoulder. “I had hoped things would not turn out like this. I truly did.”
“Yeah, me too.”
The door to the schoolhouse, where the Star Swords had set up their temporary field base opened behind Joshua and in came Lisa and Ryan, who likewise shook the rain off themselves.
“It’s nasty out there.”
“Make sure that only those who absolutely have to be out in that are.”
“Roger.” Said Ryan.
“Did they recover Pryde?”
“We have him, yes.” Joshua looked over at Gwen.
“He’s in the next room.”
Joshua and Lisa marched in to find Pryde under guard, tied to a chair. “Dezgra scum and his whore come to see me at last?” He snarled. “Enjoying the view of your defeated enemy, Not-Named?”
“As a matter of fact I am. What an ignoble end to one such as yourself, trussed up like a holiday turkey, dying in disgrace.”
“Get it over with then.”
Joshua sat down at the other side of the desk Pryde was sitting at. He stared directly at Pryde. He remembered well the last time he'd looked into those ice-cold blue eyes: New Belfast, over two years before, when Joshua and Robert faced off to either claim or free Lisa.
“Untie him.”
“Sir?”
“You heard the order, Corporal.”
The guard moved to cut Pryde’s bonds as Joshua gestured to his wife.
“Lisa, your sword and sidearm please."
“Joshua, what are you planning?”
“A more fitting end.”
Lisa hesitantly turned the two weapons over to Joshua: an auto-pistol and a claymore. She set them on the desk in between the two men, setting the sword's hilt towards Joshua and the pistol's grip towards Pryde.
“What manner of contest is this?” asked Pryde.
“Simple. I stab you. You shoot me. Whoever lives, wins.”
“Too simple.”
“Is it? How fast are you, Star Colonel?”
The two sat there for several seconds. Joshua shivered a little in his cold wet clothes.
That seemed to be Dal's cue. He reached forward and snatched the pistol up. Joshua's right hand grasped the Claymore’s hilt, his left darting up to smack Pryde's arm aside. That threw off the Clanner's aim, so his one shot went harmlessly into the wall. Joshua leaped to his feet and rammed the blade of the claymore into Pryde’s throat. Joshua shoved the blade in as far as it would go, all the way up to the pommel.
“Now, die, you son-of-a-bitch! Let there be justice for the tens of thousands you killed on New Vision.” Pryde merely gurgled as his eyes stared forward into oblivion.
Joshua said nothing as he yanked the blade out, spattering blood across the floor like a crimson carpet.
“It would seem I have a bit more life left to me, Star Colonel.” Said Joshua to the corpse. He turned to Lisa and smiled. “I have a lot to live for.” He cleaned the blade and set it back down on the table.
“If you ever pull a stunt like that again….” Scolded Lisa.
“Oh, ye of little faith.” He turned back to the guard. “Dispose of that. I never want to see it again.”
End of Part Four
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
6 August 3054
“Why are you here, Khan Phelan?” asked Dal Pryde boldly of the smaller man.
“The Star Swords are not the Falcon’s prey alone. We seek the honor of this battle as well.”
“Your Clan failed in its appointed task two centuries ago. It has fallen to others now. Begone!”
“If this is to make up for a past failure, then Falcons and Wolves stand here for the same reason.” Mocked Khan Phelan. “With what forces do you intend to defend your right to destroy these vermin?”
“I bid myself and my Warhawk.”
“That is all?” said Phelan, surprised.
“Aff.”
Pryde had tricked saKhan Phelan Ward. He had hoped to force the Falcons into committing a large force to the Trial, making them incapable of fighting the larger Star Swords regiment. Now, no matter what his answer to the bid, he would at best destroy one mech. Victory in the Trial meant nothing to the Wolves. Ward and his subordinates did not believe the Falcon claim that the Star Swords were the long lost Not-Named Clan. Pryde had forced their hand; Either they bid honorably and possibly lose the Trial without the hoped-for destruction of the Falcon ranks, or they win by superior numbers and be forced to face the enemy they had not intended to truly fight.
Phelan offered a small prayer mentally before responding to Pryde’s bid. The Swords are on their own now. “I will face you myself, Star Colonel. Well bargained and done.”
Phelan turned and headed for one the newest models fielded by Clan Wolf, the Linebacker. A fast 65 ton machine, it was designed for speed, not firepower. Against Pryde’s massive Warhawk, Phelan would need all the speed he could get to stay ahead of those lethal PPCs.
Pryde climbed aboard his machine. His computers had little information on the new Wolf machine, but he dismissed that in his own mind. “I have him by 20 tons. This battle is meaningless anyway. I have taken the teeth from the Wolves.” He smiled as his machine hummed to life. “Their plan has failed. I will not be thwarted from annihilating these Not-Named barbarians. Not by you. Not by anyone.”
Pryde charged forward, confident he could easily overpower his foe. Khan Phelan dashed for a nearby hill, hoping to use speed and cover to his advantage. It worked. A pair of PPC bolts and a volley of LRMs flashed past Phelan’ Linebacker, but did not land. Phelan dropped his crosshairs on Pryde’s Warhawk and fired. One PPC went wide, but the second bored into Pryde’s left torso.
Pryde closed the distance, but the hill prevented him from taking another shot. He watched and waited, but Khan Phelan did not emerge. Determined not to play a game of tag with the faster machine, he brought his mech to a stop and waited for his enemy to grow impatient and come out.
He got his moment. After several seconds, Phelan’s Linbacker made a dash for a nearby copse of trees. Pryde brought his machine up to a slow walk and dropped his crosshairs onto his foe. “Now I have you.” Three PPCs flashed out, striking the upper torso of the Wolf machine. Angered, Pryde pulled back on the control stick, allowing the PPC beams to slide upward towards the head and the cockpit of the mech. The top of the Linebacker’s head exploded as Phelan ejected.
“Too easy. I hope the Not-Named give better sport.” Thought Pryde to himself. “I claim your machine as isolra, Khan Phelan.” He said into his radio, thinking the new Wolf machine quite a prize. He switched channels to David’s frequency. “Now to the real task, Star Captain. Ready the troops. We march south.”
MacLeod Pass
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
7 August 3054
“Enemy contacts ahead, sir.” Said an uncertain Leftenant Akron to Javier.
“Report, soldier. What do we have?”
“Five contacts. Looks like a forward patrol.”
“Our first catch. Alpha company, with me. The rest of you hold position. We’ll handle these.”
Javier pushed Galileo III forward as the 3rd Battalion’s command lance and Alpha company surged ahead of the rest of the Swords. Javier was still growing accustomed to Galileo III’s powerful arsenal and his men were still growing accustomed to his presence as their new commander. Between the obvious problems those two things caused, Javier was glad their first contact with the enemy was an unfortunate band of scouts.
The five Falcon mechs had been standing idle, and were just now taking up defensive positions when Javier and his troops came upon them. “Let’s see what you can do, Mr. Galileo.” Said Javier, programming the targeting computer to lock onto the lead Falcon mech, a Fenris.
The computer registered the lock and Javier pressed on his triggers. He was amazed to see out of his canopy that the arms of the mech actually moved on their own to make the shot. The gauss cannon and four lasers made short work of the 45 ton Fenris.
---
“Star Colonel Pryde, we cannot hold position. Star Sword advance force consists of one company. We must withdraw.” Chattered the frightened Star Commander.
“Understood. Withdraw to Nav Point Mu and await the enemy there.”
“Sir?”
“Do as you are told, warrior.” Snarled Pryde. “ETA 25 minutes.”
The Falcon mechs slowly backpedaled away from the Star Swords, firing off a few cover shots before turning and breaking into a full run.
---
“Hah, they are running!” proclaimed Javier defiantly. “I did not think the Clans ever ran. Alpha company, in pursuit. We’ll run them down like dogs.”
The mechs of the Falcon scout star were faster than the machines of Alpha Company, particularly the Inner Sphere Hatchetman models used by the company. Javier quickly grew frustrated as the enemy mechs began to get farther and farther away. He watched on his radar as the mechs fled from him. Suddenly, the Clan mechs made a sharp turn and began to head due east.
“That’s into the ridge. What are they doing?” thought Javier. “Leftenant, confirm radar contacts with enemy.”
Akron looked at his own readout. “Confirming contacts, sir. Looks like they’re going up the High Pass.”
“The High Pass?”
“Yes, sir. There are two main roads leading down the MacLeod Ridge to the end of the peninsula. One is MacLeod Pass, the wider more open pass, which we are in now. The other is High Pass, which is a winding road across the top of the east ridge. It’s mostly used for scenic travel.”
“Tactical evaluation of the High Pass.”
“Highly defensible position, but difficult as hell to move any volume of material over it. They’d be fodder for aerospace up there.”
“Libereux to Iolair, I need aerial recon of the High Pass. Some of the Clan mechs have decided to hide out up there.”
“Smart boys,” said Erik flippantly. “By the way, sir, our tactical feed is sketchy back here at HQ. Do you have a fix on the main Falcon force?”
“Negative. Main Falcon force’s location is uncertain at this time.”
“Don’t you think we’d best find them?”
“They won’t get down the pass without running into us. I’m not concerned.”
“A little overconfi…..”
“Just get me that recon, pilot.”
“Roger, General Libereux. Iolair out.”
“Akron.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’re going in after them.”
“You just called in aerial recon. Aren’t you going to wait?” said Akron incredulously.
“No, because Erik is right about one thing. We don’t know where the bulk of the Falcons are right now. I want us to take up those positions in the High Pass. We’ll use Alpha company to flank the Falcons when they come past to fight with the rest of the battalion.”
“An ambush?” Akron liked the idea.
“We should have the firepower to knock out that star. There are only four mechs left anyway.”
“Yes, sir. We should.”
“Let’s go then.”
Javier led the way into the High Pass, a narrow rocky road that looked poorly maintained by New Belfast’s Highway Authority. The road was barely wide enough for two mechs abreast, sandwiched between the granite crags that made up the MacLeod Ridge’s geology.
“There’s one!” called Akron. His Uller opened fire with its autocannon a half second later.
Javier, startled, quickly scanned the ridge, zoning in on where the Uller’s tracer shells were landing. Sure enough, there was a Falcon mech there, a Fenris. Javier cursed himself for not seeing it.
“There’s a lot of hiding places up here.”
LRM fire rained down on them from above. Javier saw the smoky trails of the arching missiles and pressed down hard on his mech’s foot-pedals. Galileo III picked up into a run as the missiles rippled across the trail behind him, raking Akron’s mech with fire.
“Leftenant, damage report.”
“I’m hit, but not bad.” He said, flustered. “Where’s the missile boat?”
“There!” cried an Alpha company warrior. Lasers from his Nightsky raked a ledge some 20 meters above them, ripping into a well hidden Dragonfly.
“That’s two. Where are the others?” said Javier, firing a volley of lasers at the Fenris. Now that he could see and track the enemy mech, his skill at gunnery began to show. Even without the help of the Ryoken’s advanced computer, Javier was a crack shot. The Fenris’s left leg exploded as the lasers bored through it. The mech toppled over and landed face down in the dirt.
The Dragonfly fired its jump jets and landed behind the bulk of the Swords force. “Get him!” snarled Javier. “If he escapes he’ll ruin our ambush.”
The Dragonfly pilot was more resourceful than that. Irene Gordon and Charlie Lance of the company stood between him and freedom. He fired his twin lasers from the mech’s right arm into Gordon’s Jenner, blowing its head off and killing the lance commander instantly. Enraged, Charlie Lance tore after the fleeing mech, each member hoping to avenge their fallen leader.
With the Sword’s focus on the escaping Dragonfly, the remaining two scout mechs attacked. Two Ullers moved out from their hiding places to open fire with their autocannons on the backs of Alpha company. Javier turned about, annoyed to be ambushed. “They don’t fight like Clanners. These folks play dirty.”
Javier dropped his crosshairs onto the first Uller and cut loose with a full volley. The mech blew apart under the withering firepower of the gauss and lasers. Thinking he was facing off against Joshua, and after witnessing such a display of gunnery that gave him little reason to think otherwise, the other Uller pilot began to retreat further up the pass.
Javier was about to pursue him personally when he heard desperate cries from Charlie Lance. “Clear the channels.” He ordered. “What’s going on?”
“Enemy contacts, sir. At least a dozen and rising.”
Javier’s own radar began to light up as well. He cursed his bad luck. The Falcon main force was here, earlier than he expected. It also knew he was in the High Pass. They were coming for him up the narrow road.
“Sir, their elementals will make short work of us in this restricted terrain.” Warned Akron.
“I know. We need to get out of here. Libereux to Beta and Charlie Companies.”
“Beta Commander here.”
“Jade Falcon force has taken the entrance to the High Pass and has cut us off. Hit their flank as hard as you can. We need to get out of this pass and need your help to do it.”
“Roger, sir. We’re on our way.”
“They’ll be at least ten minutes, sir. The Falcons will reach us in less than two.”
“I know.”
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
7 August 3054
Daisaku slammed his fist down in frustration on the communications console in front of him. “Damn that fool!” he snarled aloud. “Joshua would never have allowed himself to be so easily trapped.”
“Daisaku, I need a sit-rep.” came a welcome and familiar voice over the headset.
“Joshua?”
“Yeah, it’s me. I’m powering up. Going to take this Cauldron Born out for a spin. Lisa and Gwen are with me. What’s the situation with Javier?”
“Our new leader just himself trapped up inside the High Pass.” Reported Daisaku. “I’ve ordered the rest of 3rd Battalion to keep pressure on the Falcons to prevent them from pushing on Javier’s position. I was about to call up 1st Battalion and send them in to help.”
“Good plan. Do it. I’ll lead 1st personally.”
“Joshua, if Javier finds out….”
“Let him. If he survives, he’s failed his test of leadership. The Swords will never follow him, never concede to his orders again. If he doesn’t, what does it matter?”
“It’ll be two hours at least until you can get 1st battalion into position.”
“Then let’s hope Javier’s as tough as he boasts.”
High Pass
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
7 August 3054
Javier triggered his lasers into an oncoming Thor. The close confines of the pass gave the badly outnumbered Alpha Company one helpful advantage, that of close-quarter fighting. Inner Sphere pilots, and the Swords were no exception, preferred the short range battle.
That was their only advantage however, as Javier tried desperately to cut his way through the Clan cluster. Any semblance of a battle plan had long since been lost. Every man and woman was for himself now. It was escape at all costs.
“General Libereux, we have struck the Falcon flank.” Came the message from the leader of Bravo Company. To Javier, it was pure music.
“Time to get out of here.” He thought. “Cut us a path.”
“We’ll try.”
The Thor seemed determined to prevent Javier from getting away. Javier fired a gauss shell into the Thor’s right arm, robbing it of a major weapon. A Masakari began to work its way through the Clan lines, and to Javier’s surprise, the Thor stepped back.
“That must be Colonel Pryde.” Thought Javier. “I can’t take him with my mech in this condition.”
Javier watched as the ports of the Masakari’s PPC began to glow. Rather than face the catastrophic hit, he took a step backwards and let himself fall off the road into a shallow gorge. The PPC blasts roared over his head and into the rock wall behind him.
Not waiting to assess how much damage the fall had done, Javier jerked his mech into a run and tore down the gorge at top speed. Its narrow walls allowed him no room to maneuver, but his pursuers seemed unwilling to follow him down.
Javier emerged out on the open plain that separated the two ridges of MacLeod Pass. He was out and allowed himself a sigh of relief. “Alpha Company, Command Lance, report. Who’s left?”
Only four members of the sixteen mech team reported in. “Damn. I should have listened to Joshua. Pryde was more crafty than I anticipated.”
“Libereux to all Swords. Withdraw to Waypoint Charlie to regroup and reload. They’ve won this round, but they’re not going anywhere.”
Star Swords Command Center
New Belfast
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
7 August 3054
Joshua ran his hand up the paint scheme of the Cauldron Born. The mech had never been used, save for a few practice runs.
“I was beginning to wonder if that machine was ever going to see battle.” Commented Mechlanthon.
“Well, seeing as Javier is in Galileo III, what choices do I have?”
“Time is of the essence, General.” Reminded the Clansman.
“I know.” Joshua climbed the ladder into the mech’s cockpit. “Command lance, report in.”
“Command two, ready.” Said Lisa from her Phoenix Hawk.
“Command three, ready.” Said Gwen, in a borrowed Nightsky.
“Command four, ready.” Came Mechlanthon at last, still strapping himself into his Grendel’s cockpit.
“Good. First battalion, this is General Messer. Move out.”
“Good to hear your voice, Joshua.” Came the reply. It was Ryan.
The mechs marched northward, heading into the New Belfast night. It was a good 100 kilometers to the High Pass, a two hour run for the mechs of 1st Battalion.
Gwen thumbed her communications panel, setting it to tightbeam mode and targeted Lisa’s Phoenix Hawk.
“You have been surprisingly magnanimous to one who tried to steal your husband from you.” Said Gwen.
“The latest crisis is of greater concern to me,” replied Lisa.
“We have the time. Warfare is after all, as the old saying goes, 90% boredom and 10% hell. We’re in the midst of the 90% part.”
“True. What do you want of me, Gwen?”
“To know where I stand.”
“You’re no threat, so why bear a grudge?”
“What makes you so certain?” said Gwen.
“You had your chance. You failed and you conceded defeat. It’s that simple.”
“And you don’t think I’ll try again?”
“No, you love him too much to make such a nuisance of yourself.” Said Lisa. “Gwen, I know my husband. And I’ve known you in a sense also. When I first met Joshua, you were always in his thoughts. I knew any woman that could make Joshua feel that strongly had to be a remarkable individual. And now having met you in the flesh I see that I was right.”
“But I tried to steal him back from you.”
“You did, but you could only have done that if Joshua let you. And he did. He did because I was not what he needed. I was too consumed with my own issues to be the woman I had once been. You came along at the most inopportune time.”
“You shouldn’t lay blame on yourself for what happened. I’m the one who seduced him.”
Lisa laughed. “And that’s the sort of thing I’m talking about, Gwen. You have just enough guilt about what you did that you’re more concerned about me than your own position. I don’t blame myself, at least not for that.”
She paused and her tone shifted serious again. “I know what I went through, the pain of what Robert O’Malley did to me. I don’t blame myself for what happened. It’s merely understanding that I was just not there for Joshua and you were. Hence, what happened on Dieron. No, if there’s to be blame on my part, it is what I did after the fact, running away, abandoning husband and son. I left the door open for you and in you walked, as would anyone I suspect. The vacuum needed to be filled.”
Lisa paused to let that sink in. “The simple fact of the matter, Gwen, is that we’re all three guilty of some sin in this. You meddled where you should not have, Joshua betrayed his promises to me, and I abandoned my own. There is guilt aplenty. But we’re also all victims, and maybe that’s what O’Malley intended all along. Even from the grave, he sought to destroy us and very nearly did. And the only way to deny him his victory is to do what we are starting to do, forgive each other and put it all behind us.”
“I guess I just didn’t expect you to be so forgiving. After all, the last time we encountered one another, you shot me.”
“Yeah, I remember. Sorry about that.”
Gwen looked down at the control panels of her borrowed mech. It was a bit different than the Kurita-built Wolf Trap she had become so accustomed to in her ISF service, but she liked the Nightsky layout even a bit better. She thumbed her communications panel again, this time to Joshua.
“How’s the Cauldron Born working out for you?”
“I like it. Solid. Strong mix of firepower. A good generalist machine. I could used to this.”
“They were potent enemies on Luthien, where we captured the one you’re piloting. It’s a good machine. It’ll serve you well.”
“Good, the rest of the battalion is moving up behind us. Let’s get going. Javier and the others are in bad shape. We’ve not a moment to lose.”
---
“This is where it all comes together, Joshua.” he said to himself as he and the others arrived at the southern entrance to the High Pass. “The final reckoning with Dal Pryde. Javier’s led the 3rd Battalion to slaughter at the other end of the pass. So much for his rhetoric of sparing lives and equipment. He will pay dearly for his short-sightedness and treason.”
His headset radio signaled. "This is Messer. What's going on?"
“Enemy contact. Pryde’s on the move. He’s coming towards us through the pass.” It was Lisa.
“Distance to target?”
“About seven kilometers.”
Joshua mused for a second as he looked over his tactical map. It showed the entire length of the High Pass, with the surviving elements of 3rd Battalion at the northern entrance to the pass and the bulk of the Clan cluster moving southward down it. “Gwen, can you hear me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Signal Javier and tell him to attack the Falcon rear.”
“He’s in bad shape, Joshua.” she returned. “He’ll not be willing to do that.”
“A hit and fade. I just need the Jaegers to turn around.”
“Josh, we have another problem.” Said Lisa. Gil-Galad’s arm pointed to the sky behind him.
Joshua looked over his shoulder towards the sea. The ugly dark grey clouds loomed ominously close. “Great.” He grumbled “How long?”
“An hour maybe.”
“What is it?” inquired Gwen.
“A spectre storm.” Answered Lisa. “Hurricane winds, rain, snow, and the like. In the cold regions of this planet they can freeze you to the bone in a matter of minutes. One of them is closing on us fast.”
“It may work to our favor.” Said Joshua. “It keeps the Falcons blind and keeps their aerospace grounded.”
---
Back at the command center, Daisaku groaned, half from his sore body, half from frustration. Outside, the wind was howling.
“As least you’re feeling better.” Said Erik, frustrated that the storm’s sudden arrival had grounded his planes.
"Damn this weather." swore Daisaku. "The EM interference is going to keep us from keeping track of Joshua's movements.”
“That was part of his plan.” Reminded Erik. “The Falcons don’t know he’s brought reinforcements up.”
“Makes it hard on us back here though.”
“Joshua knew we’d have no way of knowing how the battle will go. That’s why he left 4th Battalion behind.”
“Don’t say that.” Said Daisaku emphatically. “If he fails, Pryde will kill him. If he fails and somehow manages to survive Pryde, Javier will kill him. This is it.”
---
“I do not like this.” Mused David.
“Our position is secure. This narrow passageway concentrates our fire against anyone who dares follow us southward.” Replied Pryde. “That, and the incoming spectre storm should allow us to approach the Swords base without detection.”
“They know we are here. The Swords units behind us have reported our position to their headquarters.” Said David.
“Without aerospace, they cannot track us. Take your star ahead. I doubt there is anything out there, but I want to be certain.”
“Aff, Star Colonel.” Said David. He moved his Rifleman IIc to the front with the rest of his scout star tagging behind. The storm had just begun and rain and wind had started in earnest. Even with his searchlights on, the heavy rain and dark clouds obscured his vision. The scout star was barely visible.
"This storm may allow us to approach MacLeod City undetected, but it will prevent us from seeing our opponents as well." thought David to himself. "We must see Messer in order to kill him."
Suddenly, the radio was filled with chatter. David tried to listen in, but between the storm-induced static and the quantity of transmissions he could not make out much.
“They don’t give up do they?” said David to himself. The radio chatter could only mean one thing: the Swords force at their rear was pushing southward down the pass again. He opened a channel to Star Colonel Pryde. “Scout star requesting orders.”
“Hold your position. We are going to turn and finish these vagabonds once and for all.”
“Aff.” Responded David. He looked at his tactical monitor. Although mostly scrambled by the storm, he could still make out the bulk of the Jaeger force turning to finish off 3rd Battalion. Then he noticed something else: Signals to the southeast.
“Star Colonel….” He began. There was a sudden flash of light which made David jump. A lightning bolt struck a nearby mountain side; its thunderclap deafening at such close range. His radio squealed with the sudden burst of EM radiation.
“Star Captain, enemy contacts!” said one of his starmates.
David cursed his luck. The lightning strike had scrambled his radio just long enough for Pryde to move too far away to receive a legible transmission. David torso twisted to his right to see the dark form of an unfamiliar mech in the heavy rain. It was not any Inner Sphere design he knew, nor any Clan. All he knew was that it was painted in Star Swords colors.
Tracer fire leaped from the unknown mech’s right arm. The heavy shells tore huge jagged holes in the armor of David’s arm. “That’s a Class 20 cannon!” He thought as panic entered his mind.
Behind it, he could make out the outline of a Nightsky, a Phoenix Hawk, and a Grendel. A lance of Star Swords to the south? David was smart enough to know what it probably meant. The Swords had moved their reinforcements up the Pass from the south. The Jaegers were now trapped!
---
Gwen dropped the crosshairs of her Nightsky’s large laser onto a Clan Uller. She fired. The pulse laser laced across the machine dead center, slagging its armor.
"The enemy appears to be withdrawing." said Lisa. A burst of static came across her radio as Joshua responded.
"They don’t know how few we are in the storm. Let's not let them group up with the rest of their cluster. Press the attack.”
Joshua pressed the trigger for his twin heavy lasers. The twin beams flashed brightly in the dark canyon, boring two more ugly gashes in the battered Rifleman. Joshua knew whose mech it was he was fighting: Pryde’s aide-de-camp, David.
David lowered his quad pulse lasers and let loose a full barrage into the Cauldron Born. Steam erupted around the Rifleman as the rain struck the mech's overworked heat sinks. The impact scarred the Cauldron Born’s armor, but did not seem to phase it much more.
"Damn, he's good." thought Joshua. “Pryde chooses well for his associates, even if they’re screwed up off the battle field.”
Mechlanthon picked out an opponent of his own, another Grendel, and let loose into it with his eight machine guns. Machine gun shells ricocheted off armor, sanding through the enemy mech’s vital right arm and destroying the twin heavy lasers stored there.
The battle was mismatched from the start. Taken by surprise, David’s star could not hope to hold against Joshua’s aggressive attack, even with numbers and firepower on his side. Lasers and autocannon ripped back and forth and soon David found himself alone, his starmates machines now scrap along the road of the High Pass.
“I may go down, but I will take you with me.” He said to himself as he dropped his reticule on the Cauldron Born again. He squeezed his trigger, but the rain and wind distorted his aim and his shots went wide. Joshua’s return fire was far more accurate, as his autocannon tore into the Rifleman’s left hip. David's mech began to fall and he fired his ejection capsule to escape.
"Joshua, how are you doing?" asked Gwen.
“This mech is tough. I’m hurt but not bad.” He moved his mech alongside hers. “Their flank is open. 1st Battalion, move up. All mechs top speed. We’ll cut right through them.”
---
“So there you are!” said Pryde as his computer outlined the figure of a Stormcrow. “Our half-decade long battle ends today, Joshua.”
Pryde did not hold back. He fired four PPC blasts into the battered figure of Galileo III. The four beams plowed into the mech, destroying vital systems, and catching some of its exposed myomer ablaze.
Javier had not expected the frost-colored Masakari to gun for him. His mech was already battered from the two battles the day before. Now this bully was intent upon picking his wounded mech apart.
“We meet once more for the last time, Khan Messer.” Said Pryde. Javier, who’d never met the Falcon commander, suddenly realized why the Masakari was after him.
“Star Colonel Pryde, we meet at last.” Said Javier with false cockiness.
“Who are you?” demanded the Jaegers commander.
“I am Khan Javier Libereux. Joshua Messer has been removed from command.”
“That is unfortunate. I had hoped we could have one final glorious battle before I crushed him. No matter, I will kill you instead.”
“Forget that usurper, Pryde. I’m right here.” Said a new voice.
“Messer!” cried Dal, turning his mech to face the Cauldron Born at the head of the column of Star Swords rushing his position from the south.
“Joshua!” stammered Javier in surprise. He resented the fact that he was actually thankful Joshua was here.
“Pull back, Javier. He’s mine.”
“No, I am Khan. You don’t give orders here.” With that, he throttled up and moved to close with Pryde’ Masakari.
“Damn fool!” snarled Joshua to himself. He too moved his mech forward, trying to flank Pryde.
Pryde was in an awkward position tactically. He had two enemy machines bearing down on him, both determined to gain the glory of his kill. But Pryde was delighted in the opportunity. In addition to Messer, he now had another admitted Not-Named facing him. He relished the idea of claiming two Not-Named kills instead of just one.
He held position for a few seconds, then jammed his machine’s throttle forward. He had waited until just the precise moment to place an outcropping of rock between himself and Joshua’s Cauldron Born, giving himself a clear shot at Javier’s Ryoken without fear of reprisal from Messer.
“Now, ‘Khan’ Libereux, let us see what manner of warrior you are.” Said Pryde tauntingly. He cut loose with a trio of his PPCs all aimed dead center in the damaged Ryoken. All three struck home on Galileo III, boring clean through the center of the mech and disintegrating the machine’s engine shielding. White hot plasma erupted about the mech as it blew apart.
“Javier!” cried Joshua as he saw the explosion.
“Your successor was clearly less than worthy.”
“Gwen, did you see Javier eject?”
“Neg. There’s no sign.”
“You son of a bitch!” snarled Joshua at Pryde. His anger surprised him somewhat. Yes, Javier was a rival, even an enemy, but he was Wolverine.
“Now, it is your turn, Messer.” proclaimed Pryde with cockiness.
Joshua backpedaled for a moment to assess the situation, then thought better of it and charged forward. Pryde attempted to get a shot at Joshua around the rock outcropping that he had so cleverly used to block Joshua’s fire before, but now found Joshua using the same terrain against him.
Frustrated, Pryde came around and opened fire, but of his volley of PPCs only one landed on the Cauldron Born. Joshua, dashing away from the monster 85-ton machine, fired off a snap shot to his rear and slashed some armor from the Masakari.
But Pryde now had a clear shot at Joshua and his next volley was more accurate. Landing two PPCs into the Cauldron Born. Joshua returned fire, putting another laser blast into the enemy machine.
“He outweighs me and outguns me. I’ve got to regain initiative here or he’ll rip me apart as easily as he did Javier!”
Joshua spun his machine around and charged back towards Pryde. He dropped his reticule onto the Masakari and smiled as the Class 20 autocannon spun to life. Lasers cut into the Jade Falcon machine as Joshua walked the cannon fire across the left arm of Pryde’s machine. Joshua smiled as the shells hammered through the armor and tore into the mech’s shoulder, locking the arm and fouling permanently any efforts by Pryde to fire the weapons in it.
But Pryde was not standing idle. His own volley of weapons struck home on Joshua’s machine, ripping into the last of his armor on his right arm. Joshua felt the mech lurch as the arm came off. “Son of a bitch! He’s better than I remember him.”
Pulse lasers ripped into Pryde from the right hand side. Gwen had joined the fray!
“Gwen, be mindful. He hits like a freight train.”
“He can’t kill all of us.” Said Lisa, as her Phoenix Hawk jetted over the Masakari and landed opposite it.
“Starvag! I should have known you’d resort to this! Dezgra! Not-Named scum!”
“Would you like some cheese with that whine, Pryde?” Said Joshua, thumbing the autocannon’s trigger again. The shells shredded through the Masakari’s torsos. Joshua saw on his sensors the heat spike from engine damage.
“Surrender, Pryde.” Demanded Joshua. “Your mech is crippled and you cannot escape us.”
“Never.”
“Suit yourself.” Lasers cut out from the Cauldron Born and finished what was left of the Masakari’s engine. The Masakari shuttered violently as its engine shut down and tipped over into the mud.
“This is General Messer to all Falcon warriors. Pryde is defeated. I offer you hegira. Take my offer or be destroyed. You are outnumbered and surrounded. There is no escape. No one will come to help you. Choose now or die.”
“This is Star Captain Taman Malthus. We accept your offer.”
“I claim Star Colonel Pryde as my bondsman. Take the rest of your warriors and go.”
“Well bargained and done, General. We are withdrawing.”
“General Messer to all Star Swords, let them go. Round up our wounded and get them to medical aid. Move in salvage teams to recover what we can of their destroyed mechs. We’ll set up temporary headquarters at that village at the base of the pass.”
---
As the spectre storm continued to rage outside, Joshua shook the rain off his shoulders and out of his hair. “General, we have him.” Said Gwen.
“Good.” Said Joshua. “And Javier?”
“Dead.” She said flatly.
Joshua let out his breath. “That’s regrettable. He was one of us, however misguided his ambitions.”
“Yeah.” Gwen said softly.
“You okay?”
“He was…a good friend for many years. For so long, it was just us. He was all I had of home for so long.” Gwen wiped away a tear.
Joshua gave her an affectionate pat on the shoulder. “I had hoped things would not turn out like this. I truly did.”
“Yeah, me too.”
The door to the schoolhouse, where the Star Swords had set up their temporary field base opened behind Joshua and in came Lisa and Ryan, who likewise shook the rain off themselves.
“It’s nasty out there.”
“Make sure that only those who absolutely have to be out in that are.”
“Roger.” Said Ryan.
“Did they recover Pryde?”
“We have him, yes.” Joshua looked over at Gwen.
“He’s in the next room.”
Joshua and Lisa marched in to find Pryde under guard, tied to a chair. “Dezgra scum and his whore come to see me at last?” He snarled. “Enjoying the view of your defeated enemy, Not-Named?”
“As a matter of fact I am. What an ignoble end to one such as yourself, trussed up like a holiday turkey, dying in disgrace.”
“Get it over with then.”
Joshua sat down at the other side of the desk Pryde was sitting at. He stared directly at Pryde. He remembered well the last time he'd looked into those ice-cold blue eyes: New Belfast, over two years before, when Joshua and Robert faced off to either claim or free Lisa.
“Untie him.”
“Sir?”
“You heard the order, Corporal.”
The guard moved to cut Pryde’s bonds as Joshua gestured to his wife.
“Lisa, your sword and sidearm please."
“Joshua, what are you planning?”
“A more fitting end.”
Lisa hesitantly turned the two weapons over to Joshua: an auto-pistol and a claymore. She set them on the desk in between the two men, setting the sword's hilt towards Joshua and the pistol's grip towards Pryde.
“What manner of contest is this?” asked Pryde.
“Simple. I stab you. You shoot me. Whoever lives, wins.”
“Too simple.”
“Is it? How fast are you, Star Colonel?”
The two sat there for several seconds. Joshua shivered a little in his cold wet clothes.
That seemed to be Dal's cue. He reached forward and snatched the pistol up. Joshua's right hand grasped the Claymore’s hilt, his left darting up to smack Pryde's arm aside. That threw off the Clanner's aim, so his one shot went harmlessly into the wall. Joshua leaped to his feet and rammed the blade of the claymore into Pryde’s throat. Joshua shoved the blade in as far as it would go, all the way up to the pommel.
“Now, die, you son-of-a-bitch! Let there be justice for the tens of thousands you killed on New Vision.” Pryde merely gurgled as his eyes stared forward into oblivion.
Joshua said nothing as he yanked the blade out, spattering blood across the floor like a crimson carpet.
“It would seem I have a bit more life left to me, Star Colonel.” Said Joshua to the corpse. He turned to Lisa and smiled. “I have a lot to live for.” He cleaned the blade and set it back down on the table.
“If you ever pull a stunt like that again….” Scolded Lisa.
“Oh, ye of little faith.” He turned back to the guard. “Dispose of that. I never want to see it again.”
End of Part Four
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