Chapter Six – Escape

Styx City
Styx
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine
30 December 3055

“Gwen, where the hell are you?” snarled Rohan with an anxious tone. He lanced a large laser bolt across a Scorpion tank, blowing the light machine apart.

“This is getting a bit too hot for my tastes.” Said Doc.

“Agreed.” Said Logan as his last inferno round clicked into place. “I’ve set half the city on fire.”

Doc chuckled in response.

“In all seriousness though…” said Cowboy. “Ammo is low and these guys are throwing everything including the kitchen sink at us.”

“Grayson, report!” barked Logan.

“Moving to secure the ship now. We’ve got bogeys inbound. Looks like a Highlander fire lance.”

“Hold them as long as you can. Kai, move to support. Get those two newbies some action.”

“Roger.”

“And us?” asked Doc.

“We hold the line as long as we can until Gwen arrives.”

---

“Here they come!” said Abel.

“Hold the line until Kai gets here.” Said Grayson, moving his Shadow Hawk into a full run. Off to his right, he saw Craig Chakford’s Assassin launch into the air on its jumpjets.

The Highlander fire lance opened up, concentrating fire on Abel’s Crusader, the heaviest mech in their lance. Abel weathered the storm and cut loose with his own missile volleys on the lead Highlander Archer.

“Outnumbered and outgunned.” Complained Craig as he launched an LRM volley at a Highlander Apollo. The mech ducked behind a hanger and Craig’s missiles slammed harmlessly into the ferrocrete wall.

“They outgun us at range. Close to knife-fighting range.” Ordered Grayson.

Both Abel and Craig charged towards the Archer, while Grayson moved to flank the enemy force. The Highlander mechs kept up their heavy fire on Abel’s machine, blowing his mech’s right arm off.

“We can’t stand up to this!” exclaimed Abel, his normally calm demeanor cracking under the strain.

“We have to!” snarled Grayson. His autocannon traced a series of pockmarks up the armor of the Archer’s legs. The mech shifted its weight to avoid the damage and lost its footing. It crashed down onto the pavement.

The Highlander Catapult launched a pair of long range missile volleys into Craig’s Assassin. Unable to withstand the pounding of such heavy weapons, his 40 ton machine went down and he ejected.

Grayson slammed his fist against the glass of his cockpit in frustration. “Logan! We can’t hold. Craig’s down. Abel’s badly damaged. Goddamn it, Kai where are you?”

Grayson moved his machine around a series of hangers to come about on the flank of the enemy lance. Abel meanwhile lost his nerve and bolted.

“Damnit, kid!” snarled Grayson. “Get your ass back here!” He came around and saw the enemy lance clustered in tight formation. He slammed his mech’s throttle forward and charged straight at the Highlander Griffin.

Grayson’s mech slammed hard into the enemy machine, knocking it off its feet.

The Highlander lance now turned its attention on Grayson. Grayson smiled as Abel came about, having regained a measure of his courage. Grayson flamed his jump jets and launched himself behind the Highlander Catapult.

He let loose with nearly every weapon he had. His laser scorched a jagged line dangerously close to the mech’s cockpit, but the armor held. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Archer cut loose with its LRMs at Abel’s Crusader. The missile volley tore into the weakened armor of the Crusader and struck his ammunition stores. The mech went up in a huge explosion.

“Abel down!” reported Grayson. He focused on the Catapult, blind with rage. He slammed his mech’s left fist into the Catapult, but it glanced off with minor damage to heavy mech’s armor.

The enemy mechs pulled away from Grayson and he came to consider his position untenable. He slammed his throttle forward and headed for the dropship as fast as he could. The Highlanders opened fire, savaging his rear armor and damaging his engine shielding.

He kept pace when suddenly he felt his mech’s leg give way. His mech crashed into the pavement, slamming him against his harness and knocking him out cold.

The Highlander mechs moved in for the kill on the dropship when new contacts appeared on their radar. “More Rangers.” Snarled Lt. Ramius. “Move to intercept.”

---

“Logan, it’s Gwen. I’m making my way to the dropship now with all haste.”

“Godamnit, where the hell were you?” retorted Logan in anger.

“Finding out something very interesting. Recommend you withdraw to the dropper also. Sounds like Grayson’s having a time of it.”

“You think I don’t know that.” He replied, bringing the Nightmare up to a run. “All Rangers, make for the dropship.”

---

Kai’s lance advanced on the Highlanders. Kai, in his lightning fast Venom mech, moved to top speed and rushed towards the wreckage of Grayson’s Shadow Hawk. His two lancemates, new recruits hired just before Northwind, advanced more slowly.

Veron Malik’s Daikyu, a Kurita mech given to the Rangers for faithful service on Dieron and Wolcott, opened up a volley on the Highlander Griffin. His compatriot, Malcolm Crowe, targeted the Archer.

The Highlanders were bloodied but not bowed, nor were they intimidated by the arrival of two new heavy mechs. They opened up into the Daikyu first, pounding on its heavy armor and causing Veron to lose his footing on the ferrocrete of the tarmac.

Veron came back to his feet quickly enough. They may have been new recruits to the Rangers, but both men were war veterans and were quite skilled. Veron brought his Daikyu to a full run and launched himself towards the Highlander Griffin.

Malcolm kept at it with the Archer, pounding the mech with the heavy weapons from his Gallowglas. Kai, meanwhile, jumped into the midst of the enemy Apollo and Catapult and began trading blows with the two long range mechs. Although significantly outweighed by his opponents, their long range weapons could not accurately strike him at such close quarters.

The autocannons on Veron’s Daikyu roared to life, shredding into the battered Griffin and tearing its right arm from its body. Malcolm kept up the pressure on the Archer, coring its chest armor and damaging its engine.

Kai kept at it against the Catapult and Apollo, but found his Venom’s heat management a handicap. He could not effectively jump about and fire his weapons at the same time. Still, he kept the two mechs tied up trying to maneuver to catch him.

“Ignore the Venom!” barked Ramius over an open channel. “Regroup.” The Highlander mechs, disciplined as they were, quickly moved out into the open to regain their formation.

Veron and Malcolm began to circle the Highlanders as they maneuvered into position, keeping fire up on their position. Veron’s Daikyu ripped more damage into the crippled Archer. The Highlanders, in turn, focused their efforts on Malcolm’s Gallowglas.

“Now to give them something new to shoot at.” Said a voice. Gwen!

Her Linebacker dashed onto the tarmac at high speeds from the south.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Kai moved to inspect Grayson’s mech. Malcolm’s Gallowglas cored through the Griffin’s head with a lucky snap shot, finally dropping the first of the Highlander machines.

Veron picked up where Malcolm had left off on the Archer, hammering it with his autocannons. The mech staggered and collapsed, exploding on impact. “Glad to see you, Laidir-san.” He said.

“Likewise. Now let’s turn the tide here. Kai, how is he?”

“Alive. Status on Craig and Abel is unknown.”

Gwen opened up on the Catapult, shredding its left LRM launcher. Its pilot cried out on an open channel in dismay. “Lieutenant, we can’t hold.”

“Nice to hear that from the other side.” Commented Kai.

“Save any for us?” asked Logan as the Nightmare appeared in the south.

“Oh, that did it.” Said Veron, watching as their battered opponents began to back off at Logan’s arrival. “Enemy in retreat.”

“Not likely.” Said Rohan, his Crab’s lasers lancing into the surviving Apollo. The mech staggered under the barrage and fell.

Veron’s Daikyu moved up to point blank range and landed a savage kick on the prone Apollo, ripping its leg off. An autocannon burst ripped off the other, finishing the mech.

The Catapult lasted only a few seconds longer as Logan opened up with the Nightmare’s Clan technology arsenal. “Retrieve those pilots.” He ordered, “and get that ship into space.”

“Roger.”

---

Gwen leaped down from the cockpit of her mech less than half a second after the restraining blocks locked it into place. She ran for the bridge, dashing up several ladders as fast as she could move. Rohan kept close pace behind her.

“Skipper, get this ship in the air.”

“I’ve got no clearance from ground control.”

“And you won’t get it.” Added Rohan, panting. “Planetary authorities are in the hands of our enemies.”

“Aye, sir.” The skipper turned to the technicians manning the bridge stations. “You heard him. Flash prep for launch.”

Rohan looked out the bridge windows onto the tarmac where the wreckage of seven Battlemechs still lay burning. He looked at Gwen with anxious eyes.

“This is bullshit!” snarled Logan as he entered the bridge. He marched over to Gwen. “Every damn time I take a job from your boyfriend, it turns out like this.” He yelled into her face. Gwen didn’t flinch.

“We don’t have time for this.” She replied sternly but calmly.

“I’ve had enough.” Said Logan, pacing about. “You can tell General Messer to shove his little brat up his own ass. I’ve got three dispossessed mechwarriors below thanks to him. You know how much it’s going to cost me to outfit them again!”

Gwen rolled her eyes in annoyance, but gave no other reaction. Logan stopped his angry pacing and turned to get into Gwen’s face again. With a lightning fast round house kick, she swept his legs out from under him. Logan hit the deck with a thud, scrambling for his Mydrons.

The barrel of Gwen’s blaster gave Logan’s nose a nudge. “I’d think better of that, if I were you.”

“No one does that to me on my ship.” Threatened Logan.

“You see, there’s your problem, Logan. It’s always about you.” Said Gwen, giving him a less than gentle shove with the barrel of her pistol. “Your ship. Your money. Your shitty attitude. Do you honestly believe it’s all about you? Do you sincerely think the Dark Rangers would be anything more than some little chicken shit outfit hunting pirates and renegades on some backwater little dust ball if it hadn’t been for Rohan and Cowboy and Doc, and, oh yes, Joshua Messer? And if I pulled the trigger right now, what do you think would happen?”

Logan stayed silent.

“Yeah, think about that for a bit. You’re good, Logan, but not that good. It’s past time to check your ego. You’re a punk kid who thinks he’s God’s gift to the Inner Sphere because of your natural talent. That!” Gwen pointed out to the flaming wreckage on the tarmac, “That is what the Inner Sphere does to punk kids with natural talent. Always someone taking a shot at you. One of these days, you’re going to realize that the only reason you’re still alive is because someone else has been taking the bullets for you.” She stepped back and Logan came to his feet. “Your three mechwarriors are dispossessed because they followed your orders. Never forget that.”

Logan walked off the bridge without a word.

“Never seen anyone manhandle him like that.” Commented Rohan.

“He had it coming.” growled Gwen.

“Perhaps.” Said Rohan. “But you were overly hard on him.” Rohan scanned the tarmac again, this time spotting several Highlander mechs and rebel vehicles moving near the burning wreckage. “Skipper, launch status.”

“Go for burn in 10…9…8…”

“Get us out of here.”

“Better strap in.” said the Skipper. He grabbed the microphone for the loudspeaker. “Launch in 4…3…2...1…go!”

The huge fusion thrusters on the dropship roared to life, driving the gigantic vessel upward at immense speed. Gwen and Rohan both dove into deck chairs and held on as the G-forces increased. Outside the window, they could see the tarmac vanish as they accelerated skyward.

“Launch successful.” Reported the Skipper.

“Any sign of pursuit?” asked Gwen.

“I’ve got a squadron of aerospace fighters waiting for us in orbit.” Replied the sensor technician.

“They think of everything, don’t they?” said Rohan sarcastically. “Well, so do we. Ready the weapons. Let’s show them what a Pegasus can really do.”

“Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station!” said Gwen in an odd voice.

“Excuse me?” said Rohan.

“Nothing. Just something I heard in an ancient film once.” Said Gwen with a goofy grin. Rohan simply shook his head.

“You are an odd one at times, Gwen Laidir.”

Outbound
Styx
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine
1 January 3056

“Kampai!” said Gwen, knocking her bottle of sake against Kai’s proffered bottle.

“Don’t think I’ve ever done a New Years toast in space before.” Replied Kai before taking a swig.

The battle with the fighters had been brief and largely uneventful. Indeed, the firepower of the dropship made short work of four of the light interceptors within the first minute of battle, driving the remaining two into a hasty retreat. Now, thirty six hours out from the planet, the crew and the mercenaries were enjoying a brief respite.

Despite the normally festive nature of New Years celebrations, the mood aboard was somber. Rohan and Gwen together tried to brighten things, but it was not working as well as they’d hoped.

“You’d think this was a wake, not a New Years party.” Said Kai grimly as he glanced over to the corner where Abel, Grayson, and Craig were sitting quietly. Logan had joined them.

“It’s the dining on ashes party.” Grumbled Rohan.

“At least Logan is commiserating with them instead of pretending to be above it all.” Said Gwen.

“That’s enough of that, Gwen.” Said Rohan sternly. “You’ve made your point.”

“You’re too soft on him.” Retorted Gwen.

“No, we’re not. Has it never occurred to you why people like myself and Cowboy and Grayson and others are willing to follow some hotshot kid like Logan to the depths of hell and back? Why we’re the ones willing to take those bullets for him?”

Gwen looked at Rohan, but gave no answer.

“You’re wrong about him. You’ve been with us four or five months, and so far only seen the bluster and bravado. There’s more to him than that. Eventually you’ll see that.”

“Yeah, what do you want me to be?” said Logan, staggering over. “Soft and cuddly? A warrior poet like your precious Joshua? I grew up on the streets. I was the forgotten son of a Rasalhague nobleman who ran away from home and was never missed.” He looked at Rohan. “You call it bluster and bravado. You can’t survive without it where I come from. If you’re not bad ass, you’re nothing, and when you’re nothing you’re dead.”

“You’re drunk, Logan.” Said Gwen condescendingly.

“Yeah, what of it? Let me tell you something. One thing I did learn on the streets. You take care of your own. Leave no one behind.” He slumped to the deck as the alcohol and the weight of his thoughts drove him downward. “When I ran with the gang on New Oslo, we got it in our head to knock off this bank. We were going to be rich. Turns out one of our own was a police plant, one of those agent provokers…”

“Agent provocateur.” Corrected Gwen mildly, her countenance softening as she began to be drawn into the story.

“Whatever. She tricked our leader into the job. They were waiting for us. Cops gunned down my mates, killed them all. Two of us escaped, the plant and myself. I killed her when I found out what she’d done. She murdered my mates and I lived. I should’ve died with the rest of them.”

Logan paused, and then with a violent outburst flung the bottle in his hand against a nearby bulkhead. It shattered into a thousand pieces. “Never again. I lived because I left them behind. Never again. Never leave them behind and I’ll never lead them into a trap again.” He glared at Gwen with an angry malice in his eyes. “You want to talk about who doesn’t care about the lives of my men. Why don’t we start with you and your precious general? You proved that on Styx. Going off on your own, leaving us to be butchered by the Highlanders. And him? I’ve lost more good people being errand boy to General Messer than on any other job. I’m through having my people die at his whimsy. Once we reach the jumper, this operation is over.”

Colmar
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
1 January 3056

Star Captain Blair snapped to attention as the door to the dropship slid open. The new commander of the 18th Provisional Garrison Cluster was arriving. Blair smiled. A new year, a new commander, and new opportunities for this band of misfits to prove themselves.

The Star Colonel emerged into the bright sunlight and winced for a second. Blair's smile widened even more. Few if any new arrivals to Colmar did not take some adjustment to the brightness of the planet's white sun.

He marched forward to Blair. She saluted and he returned the salute. “I am Star Colonel David and I have come to take command of this garrison.”

“And I, brevet Star Colonel Blair, surrender the command to you.”

“We are given new orders, Star Captain.” said David, marching away from the assembled honor guard and motioning Blair to follow. “I am to prepare this unit for an assault on Clan Wolf assets. I do this under the Khan's orders and out of a personal desire to avenge myself on Clan Wolf.”

“Forgive me, but what wrong have they done you, sir?”

“In August of 54, my former unit was robbed of glory on New Belfast once more by the interference of Clan Wolf. It cost me my commanding officer and has left me to languish in disgrace for the past 18 months.”

Blair made no mention of the fact that David had lost his Trial to claim his former commander's Bloodname, no doubt part of the disgrace to which he referred. Nor did she dare mention that Clan Wolf's interference had little to do with the 2nd Jaegers' defeat on New Belfast. “Another misfit, this one a deluded fanatic. And now the Khan sends us to our doom in a futile raid on Clan Wolf. So be it.”

“What preparations shall we make for this operation?” asked Blair.

“The first thing you can do is see to my mechs.” David waved with his hand and the bay doors on the dropship opened simultaneously. Two machines descended to the tarmac. One a Rifleman IIC, the other a mech Blair did not recognize.

“Two?” inquired Blair curiously.

“The prototype you see has been entrusted to me for further trials. Once we have accumulated what data the scientist caste requires regarding it, I will resume my place in the cockpit of my Rifleman.”

“Very well, sir. And after your machines are secured?”

“I will call a briefing so that we may go over the training regimen for the near future.” He paused, looking at her and seeming to read her doubts. “Whatever you think of me or my history, I will not throw this unit into desperate battle unprepared. When we launch to challenge Clan Wolf, we will be ready and we will win. Of that, you can be certain, Star Captain.”