Chapter Nine - Between the Talons
Chateau
Tamar March,
16 April 3050
Marshall Steiner stood up from patching the broken arm of an injured mechwarrior. An overloaded pick-up truck roared into the camp not far away, stopping at the feet of a battered Zeus. She turned to watch as technicians attempted to unload a medium laser from the truck. Compared to human beings, the laser looked anything but medium-sized.
"I don’t normally like after-factory add-ons, but in the current situation I’m not going to be picky." Lamented the Zeus pilot. She sensed someone behind her, and glanced back. It was Leftenant Messer. She turned to him.
"Report, Leftenant."
"Well, we're all finally here. All told, we have fifty mechs still functional. Most, like my Shadow Hawk, just barely."
"How many command officers?"
"Six, myself, four other lance commanders, and one company commander."
"Damn." she swore. "Alright, summon the officers. We need to figure out our next move."
Five minutes later, the remnants of the Guard's command staff joined Marshall Steiner at the foot of Joshua's battered Shadow Hawk.
"Our best guess is our hiding place will be uncovered within a week." said Steiner. "There's not enough of us left to call us an effective fighting force. We get need to get off-planet and fast. Problem is, all our dropships that were down have been taken and are heavily guarded. We do have two Overlords on jumpships up there." She pointed to the sky. "Assuming they weren't taken as well. We consider jumpships inviolate, but who knows with these strange Clansmen."
"The jumpships will not be harmed." Said Joshua with assurance. "They are non-combatants and therefore not a target."
"You speak with such confidence? How?"
Joshua ignored the question. “With respect, sir, we can't engage the enemy again. Most of our mechs can’t take another major hit from their weapons. The way I see it, we have only one choice. We've got to get those dropships down from the Chimera."
Most of the commanders nodded. Marshall Steiner looked over the assembled group. “That has been my thought as well. Now the question is how to contact them. We presently lack that capability."
"There's a media complex in the city of
"Their aerospace patrols will likely detect any effort on our part to move a BattleMech force in that direction."
“Foot soldiers then?” suggested Joshua.
"Who will lead them?" said one of the Leftenants. "We lost most of our infantry and all of our infantry commanders."
Joshua drew his pistol and rubbed it affectionately. "If you’re looking for volunteers, I’ll do it."
"You're not qualified to lead an infantry squad." complained another of the commanders.
“Right now, I’m not sure ‘qualifications’ are all that important. We have to think creatively and boldly or we’re not getting out of this.”
Marshall Steiner nodded. "He’s right.” She turned to Joshua. “Very well, Leftenant Messer. You’re it. Go and select your squad. Report back to me."
"Yes,
ma'am." Said Joshua with a salute.
Joshua reached back into the storage compartment of his mech. Daisaku was looking over his shoulder. "What are you up to?" A handful of vid-chips fell out of the compartment. "What all do you have in this thing anyway?"
"My valuables. I guess I was a bit paranoid about when the Falcons were going to show. So I stowed all my important stuff in the back storage compartment of my mech’s cockpit."
"You could lose your mech and still survive, you know?"
"Sure, but this is the safest place for them. Case in point, I would have lost them if they were still at base. Here's what I'm looking for."
Joshua pulled out something wrapped in a brown cloth. "What's that?"
"One of the other things Daniel fetched for me." Joshua unwrapped it and revealed a shiny black Wolverine-built particle blaster. Three spare power cells were taped to the side of the weapon.
“You still have a blaster? Lucky bastard. Guess I’m still stuck with these crappy slug-throwers or a basic laser.”
Joshua looked up at Daisaku. "You ready?"
“Oh, am I coming too?”
Joshua glared at him. “Get your crappy slug-thrower. I’ll need your help.”
"Fine.” Said Daisaku reluctantly. “You know, I didn’t train for this."
“Who
has?”
One hour later, their transport truck drove into the city of
"Must be second line designs built for defensive duty." muttered Daisaku.
"Must be. Now where's that media center."
As expected there was a handful of Clan guards around the place. Joshua expected that. The Clan Commander was not stupid. He had to know there was really only one way for the Guard to escape him.
"Well, let's see if we can get inside."
The driver drove the truck up to the front gate. Joshua counted only five guards in front of the building. Too few, there had to be a catch. The guard at the gate came to the drivers-side door of the truck.
"Please identify yourself and your purpose here?" said the guard.
"We're shipping some new equipment to the center. They ordered it a couple weeks ago. Just because there's a war on doesn't mean we don't do business."
"This complex is off-limits." Said the guard. “Leave now.”
"Oh, for the love of...." the driver swung the door open and hit the guard smack in the face. He fell on his back, unconscious. The other guards appeared not to notice.
"Nice shot." complemented Joshua. “I don't think the others saw that."
"Good. They'd be on us if they had."
"I’ll grab Sleeping Beauty and get him out of sight. The rest of you, make for the front door.”
"Yes, sir."
The troops darted across the lawn to the entrance. The guards spotted them and opened fire.
“Take cover!” shouted Daisaku, as the troops scrambled to avoid the barrage of bullets.
Joshua was still near the truck and crouched down behind its hood. The guards moved to surround the troops near the door, but had failed to notice him. He drew a bead on the first and fired his blaster. The guard pitched over. The others spun around in surprise, exposing their backs to the Steiner troops. Between Joshua’s blaster and the troops’ SMGs, they were cut down in seconds.
Joshua dashed to the door.
“Nice variation on Badgering the Bear.” Said Daisaku.
“Get that door open.” Ordered Joshua.
With the alarm sounded, the guards inside had locked the door. A quick application of C-10 plastic explosive would remedy that problem.
“Fire in the hole!” barked Joshua, diving for the deck. The explosion blew the door clean off. Several of the troops were on their feet immediately, firing blindly into the smoke around the now open entry. The commandos advanced, each covering the hallway as the one in front of them advanced. Joshua, Daisaku, and their communications tech followed behind cautiously.
Four extremely large men were lying dead in the hallway, either cut down by the explosion of the door or the hail of bullets that followed. "My God, they're all almost eight feet tall." commented Daisaku.
“That is what pilots those battlesuits of theirs.” Said Joshua.
Daisaku held up four fingers to Joshua and then counted out a fifth with his thumb, reminding his friend that a fifth trooper was still around somewhere.
“Corporal!” barked Joshua. “These clanners travel in groups of 5. There’s one more around somewhere. Find him.”
“Yes, sir.”
"The transmission room should be just up ahead." said the tech.
"Alright, let's keep moving."
Daisaku, Joshua, and the tech entered the transmitter room. The room was empty. The tech immediately set to work. "How long will it take?" Joshua asked.
"It'll take me at least ten minutes to align the transmitter. Just a few seconds to send the
"Make it quick. We may have taken out the guards here, but we don't know how long we can go unnoticed by the other forces in the city."
Daisaku covered the door nervously with his weapon. There was no sound except the clicking of keys from the tech's typing.
The minutes seemed like hours. Finally the tech spoke up again. "Transmitting now. We’re done.”
“Good, let's get out of here." Joshua switched on his headset microphone. “Corporal, we’re done. Make for the truck.”
“Roger that.”
As if on cue, an explosion rocked the building, knocking the trio off their feet.
"That was an SRM round." said Daisaku. "Mech weaponry."
Outside, they could hear the sound of small arms fire.
"Move!" barked Joshua. “Corporal, report!”
“We found the fifth.”
“Shit. Let’s get out of here.” The three ran down the hallway towards the exit. Guarding it and firing outside were the commandos. The roar of a BattleMech-class machine gun and rounds tore through the threshold. Joshua and his companions dove for the deck as the barrage tore through the commandos near the doorway. The gun fell silent and the fifth and final armored trooper stepped inside the door.
“Get out of the hallway!” said Joshua, giving a tech a hard shove into an adjacent room. He and Daisaku dashed into the room opposite.
"I'll distract it. Go for the viewplate. It might be its only vulnerable point." Said Daisaku, opening fire. The light rounds of his submachine gun merely ricocheted off the heavy armor.
Daisaku dove into the hall and fired a burst at the armored trooper’s glass viewplate. Again, his shots ricocheted off harmlessly, but trooper reeled back a bit and did not return fire.
Joshua jumped out and took careful aim with his blaster. He held it there for several seconds, as Daisaku’s clip went dry.
"Now!"
Joshua squeezed the trigger. The blaster kicked in his hand, sending a bolt of laser-energized white-hot plasma at the viewport. It struck the center of the viewplate and instantly melted clean through the glass. The suit staggered backward and fell on its rump.
Daisaku ran up, drew his pistol, and fired into the viewplate at point blank range. He emptied the clip, destroying the remaining glass on the opening and ensuring that whoever was inside was not coming after them.
Joshua moved past his friend and the now dead trooper. “That monster didn’t do anything to the truck, thank God. Move. We’re getting out of here before any more of their friends show up.”
Chateau system
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone,
19 April 3050
Daisaku sat down and looked out the window. The Clan aerospace fighters that had given chase to their escaping dropships had been driven off. The battle was finally over and they had escaped.
The tension level on the ship was gradually going down. Daisaku looked over at Joshua, who sat on the opposite side of the room.
"You've not spoken much since we fled Tendo."
“Just lost in thought.” Said Joshua. “We didn’t do much better against this time.”
“Well, we’ve learned a few things. A bit more about their technology. It hits harder and further than even our most advanced stuff. And we know a bit more about their strategy and tactics. Likewise that they’re not keen on some manner of scorched earth policy. No genocide, no mass slaughter like New Vision.”
“Still, they rolled over the Fedcom forces like they were nothing.”
“We came here to prepare them and they hit before we ever got much of a chance to do that. They’re not invincible. We know that. Time for us to start thinking about how we might deal with them when we face them again.”
Joshua nodded. “We’ve got to bring them in close. Knife-fighting range. They may still outgun us, but in close quarters they will no longer outrange us. We need to brawl with them. We fight on their terms and we lose. Time we started fighting them on ours.”
Wotan System
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
19 May 3050
Marshall Steiner nodded as the orders she had received played out on her personal vid-chip player. Joshua and the other officers who had survived were present.
"Well, you heard the orders." said Steiner. "New
"Why New
“Not for us to question our orders. I’m sure command is sending other units elsewhere, but we’re still barely a battalion even after repairs and salvage. Beside, New Belfast is a valuable world. Without it, large amounts of food will never reach certain worlds. Their populations will starve." She turned to her jumpship captain. “How long until we will be ready to jump?"
"Immediately, ma'am. All supplies have been loaded and the jumpship is fueled and ready to go."
"Very
well. Begin pre-jump preparations. We leave within the hour."
Joshua walked into his quarters with a grin from ear-to-ear. Daisaku sat up. It was the first time he'd seen Joshua smile since they left Chateau.
"You seem rather pleased. They finally finish fixing Galileo?"
"No, actually my mech is still down. But we did just get our orders."
“Let me guess: New
Joshua nodded.
“I told you. You are the luckiest bastard in the universe.”
“Well, yes and no. I’ll see Lisa again, but it also means the Clans are within striking distance of her home.”
“So the stakes just got raised.”
“If it’s within my power, I won’t let what happened to Chateau or Here or any of the other planets the Clans have hit happen to Lisa’s homeworld. I won’t let that planet fall. We will use our new strategies and we will make the Jade Falcons rue the day they ever thought to set foot on New Belfast.”
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
19 May 3050
Robert O'Malley rubbed his forehead as he read his orders. The survivors of the 10th Donegal Guard were being sent to New Belfast to protect against the still advancing invaders. So far, sixteen worlds had fallen to these mysterious enemies. Sixteen worlds in a little under three months. The rate of conquest was unbelievable.
Lisa walked inside and sat down. She had just come the gym and had not yet changed. Her tank top and sweat pants were moist with sweat and her dark red hair was matted against her head.
"You could have showered." said O'Malley flatly. "And do you have to walk about in public dressed like that?”
"Oh, stop it." said Lisa. "So what if some adolescent boy gets a hard-on from seeing me? I heard we had new orders, that we’ve been placed under AFFC command."
“Yeah, we’ve been activated and the survivors of the 10th Donegal are en route as we speak. These Clan ran them off Chateau last month and now they’re bound for her to reinforce.”
“The 10th Donegal?”
“Not much help. If those Clans hit here, we’ll likely not stop them, not even with reinforcements.”
“Some of my friends from NAMA served with the 10th.”
“Oh. I have their current roster.” Robert shuffled some papers and found the list among them. “You sure you want to see this? If your friends names, aren’t on it?”
Lisa paused for a moment to contemplate Robert’s question. Joshua and Daisaku were both with the 10th. She dreaded the thought of knowing they might have died in battle.
“No, I want to know. I want to know if they’re alive or dead.” She slowly took the sheet of paper that Robert offered.
"Daisaku made it." She read further, closed her eyes and let our her breath. "Joshua's alive too. Thank God."
“Then let us be thankful for small miracles. Considering the lethality of these Clans, that’s probably what it was. Divine intervention.”
“No, you don’t know my friends. They would have found a way to survive, no matter what. That’s what they are: survivors.”
“You hold them in very high regard.”
“They are remarkable individuals. You’ll see that when…you meet them.” The words caught in Lisa’s throat. It was only that she realized.
“What?” said Robert with a bit of concern.
Lisa regained her composure. “Nothing. Just that they’ll be some explaining to do.”
“Ah,” said Robert knowingly. “Let me guess. That vaunted promise that stood in my way for so long?”
“Yeah.”
“Joshua right? I didn’t make the connection.” Robert stood up and his visage darkened. “Just one thing. Make sure he understands. You belong to me now.” Robert headed for the door.
“Belong to you? What talk is that? Said Lisa with a bit of surprise. “Why have you become so damned jealous lately?”
“If you don’t make him understand, I will.” With that Robert abruptly left the room.
New
Tamar March,
12 June 3050
Two egg-shaped dropships roared through the silent blackness of space. The fertile green world known as New Belfast lay ahead of them.
Marshall Sarah Steiner marched back and forth on the bridge of the lead Overlord class dropship. Joshua stepped onto the bridge. "You asked for me, Marshall?"
“I did, Leftenant. We received a transmission from the surface, welcoming us. Also a private message for you, from the Duke’s daughter Lisa.”
Joshua smiled. "Oh? Lisa contacted me?"
"She did." said the
“Am I safe in assuming that you know Lady Lisa personally?”
“We were in the same cadet class at NAMA, so yes. Why do you ask?”
“I’m looking for a militia liaison. Lisa serves as aide-de-camp to the militia commander, Robert O’Malley. Seeing as you know her personally, I thought you might be up for the job. I’ll confess I have an ulterior motive.”
“And that is?”
“You deserve high commendation for all that you did on Chateau, and the tactics and strategy that you and Sergeant Hayakusora have suggested to me might just work against these Clanners. I’d like you to work with this militia in getting them ready and getting them drilled in these plans. With a bit of luck and planning, we might just be able to beat them back.”
“Very well. I’ll do it.”
“Good. As I said, you’ll be working with Lady Lisa but also with Robert O’Malley. He's a former company commander in the Northwind Highlanders and a son of Baron Ian O'Malley. He took over the militia about eight months ago after being hired through the mercenary hiring hall on Outreach.”
“He’s not affiliated with the Highlanders anymore?”
“No, he’s on his own and there are some suspicious absences in his background file. Given the sort of people these backwater worlds usually have to hire for these jobs, I would expect a bit of resistance from him. They’re independent and sometimes even a bit disreputable. I wouldn’t imagine he’ll be happy to be under our thumb for the next few months.”
"Well, he can't be any worse than you, ma'am."
“Watch it, Leftenant. I’ll give you some leeway, given your military record, but this is a military unit. Even playful teasing is outside discipline. Now get out of here. Dismissed.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Joshua turned to leave.
"Actually, Leftenant, one more thing. The invaders will undoubtedly reach this planet within another month. Give me your honest assessment. Even with the new tactics and with both our survivors and the planetary militia, what do you think our chances really are?"
“I think
our chances are good. Assuming we are given enough time to finish our repairs
and get ourselves as back up to full operating capacity as possible.”
New
Tamar March, Federated Commonwealth
12 June 3050
Once the dropships were down, Joshua was one of the first to disembark. Lisa was waiting at the spaceport.
"Leftenant Joshua Messer, 10th Donegal Guards, reporting for duty, ma'am." said Joshua with a crisp salute. Lisa, being a Hauptmann and therefore a higher rank than Joshua, returned the salute.
"Welcome to New
"God, it's good to see you again." He rushed her and scooped her up in his arms. Lisa was taken aback, but gave no resistance as Joshua held her and kissed her passionately.
“I so missed you.” Said Joshua when he came up for air.
“And I you. How have you been?”
"I've been better. Getting your ass kicked doesn't do much for your ego."
“And you faced down ‘them’ again. I’m sure that wasn’t easy.”
“No, but each time we fight them, we learn more. This time, we will stop them. The Clans will not take New Belfast.”
"When I heard that Chateau had been hit......"
"You were worried?"
"A little." she looked at him. "But I had faith in you. Somehow, I knew you were going to be alright. You and Daisaku both.” She let go of the embrace and stepped back.
“Yeah, Daisaku is with me. Actually, he’s in the mech bay right behind me, getting his ride ready to disembark.” Both of them turned to try to see Daisaku, but he was not visible. “We’ve been working up some counter-strategies to the Clan technological edge. Not to get all business like, but I would like to discuss them with your commander soon.”
“I’ll set that up.” She said hesitantly.
Joshua picked up on her change of mood. “Something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing.” Lisa lied.
“Welcome to New
Joshua saluted. “You must be Robert O’Malley. I am Leftenant Joshua Messer. I’ve been ordered to act as liaison between your militia and the 10th Donegal.”
“Have you now?” He glared balefully at Lisa. “I wonder who pulled those strings.”
“Well, I’m sure Lisa had something to do with that.” Said Joshua playfully. “We’ve been friends for a while now.”
“You will be working directly with me.” Said Robert sternly. “You will have no contact with Lisa.”
“Excuse me?” said Joshua with surprise.
“She has been reassigned. You will act as my aide-de-camp for the duration of this operation.”
“I understand that, sir. And I will work with you to make the militia ready. But, with respect sir, you have no right to dictate either my personal time nor hers.”
“Make an effort to see her again and you will regret it.”
“Robert!” exclaimed Lisa.
“Was that a threat?” Joshua looked to Lisa. “What the hell is going on here?”
“Whatever you once were with Lisa, you are no longer. It’s as simple as that. Make no attempt to see her again. Get your gear stowed, Leftenant, and report to my office in one hour. Lisa, you are with me.”
Robert made to walk away. Lisa hesitated, looking down at the ground, not daring to meet Joshua’s confused and angry eyes.
“Hauptmann!”
Robert barked. “Now!” With that Lisa obeyed. As she walked away, she looked
back over her shoulder with her own look of confusion and regret.
“Ok, that was unexpected.” Said Joshua angrily as he embarked the dropship to march his mech to its hanger.
“Say what?” said Daisaku, who was making ready to do the same.
“O’Malley’s a fucking nutcase. He threatened me. Said if I made to see Lisa, I’d regret it.”
“Um, did I miss something?”
“That’s about how I feel right now.”
“We’re not getting the whole story here, but…” said Daisaku, looking out the bay door to see O’Malley jeep drive away with Lisa in the passenger seat. “One, as you say, O’Malley’s a fucking nutcase. Two is that they’re involved.”
“I don’t believe that. She’d never…”
“Which one? Leave you or hook up with him?”
“Both…either.”
“I told you on Chateau there was no guarantee that she’d stay faithful. If it hadn’t been for the Clans we’d have never come here and you would not have seen her again.”
“Alright, fine.” Said Joshua with resignation. “I’ll accept that she met someone else. But him? That level of jealousy is…abnormal.”
“And maybe that’s a side of himself that he’s never shown until now…because you’re here.”
“I’m not responsible for this.”
“I
didn’t say you were. But maybe you triggered something.”
"That’s
what worries me. That man’s not right. He threatened me without cause, and I
fear what else he might do.”
Lisa came storming into Robert's office. Robert looked up from his computer.
"Do you ever knock?"
“What the fuck is the matter with you?” she snarled in rage.
“I already told you. Either you make him understand or I will. I know you communicated with his dropship and yet you said nothing to him about us.” He bolted to his feet and slammed his fist down on the desk. “I saw the two of you! I saw how he held you. How he kissed you. You said nothing.”
“This is irrational.”
“Is it? Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t still love him.”
“No, I’m not playing games with you. Thanks to your stupid jealousy, I’m through.”
Robert’s hand flew out and struck her. Lisa flew against the wall. Stunned, she tried to regain her feet when another blow came down and knocked her to the floor.
He grabbed her hair and yanked her head back. "You dare to question me! You will learn." His hot breath was on her ear. He flipped her on her back. She came to herself and began to lash out at her attacker, but another backhand from Robert knocked her senseless once more.
She felt his hand fumbling with her slacks, tearing them down to her knees. Revelation brought her out of her stupor. “Oh, God, no. Don’t do this, Robert. Oh, god, please!" she pleaded. She tried to fight, but he had pinned her arms.
"You
are mine.” He snarled with a bestial tone. “And when I am through with you, you
will never question it again."
Joshua marched up to Robert’s office door, still steaming from his earlier encounter with the man. He rapped on the door and waited for an answer. There was none.
“Damnit. He orders me here in one hour and he’s late.” Thought Joshua, adding another item to his list of things about O’Malley he disliked.
Joshua sat down in a chair adjacent to an office door when he heard a moan of pain from inside the office. Joshua stood back up and knocked again. Again, the moan. Someone was inside and they sounded hurt. Joshua tried to open the door, but found it locked. The weak agonized sounds from within continued.
Joshua slammed his shoulder against the door and it gave way. He burst in on a disheveled office. Papers were scattered about the floor. Lying on the floor near the desk was a battered and bruised woman in torn clothing. Joshua’s eyes went wide.
“My God, Lisa!” He dashed to her side.
"Help me!" she whispered hoarsely.
"Dear God have mercy!" exclaimed Joshua. "What did he do to you?" He already knew the answer. The whole scene stunk of blood and semen.
Lisa’s breathing was shallow and strained.
"Can you stand?" demanded Joshua.
“I don’t know.” She said weakly.
Joshua stood up and moved to the desk. He grabbed O’Malley’s phone and dialed the infirmary. “Yeah, I’ve got a medical emergency in the Colonel’s office. Send help.”
He moved back to her side. “Help is on its way.” He took her in hand.
“No,” she sputtered. “No, don’t tell anyone. They can’t…”
“Lisa, you need medical care. And we’re not going to let him get away with this.”
Two medics dashed into the room. Joshua stepped back to let them do their work.
Fury
took over Joshua. As the medics did what they had to do, Joshua turned and
dashed out of the room.
Joshua dashed into the mech bay where he expected to find Daisaku. “Daisaku!” he yelled.
“Here!” said his friend from the shoulder of his mech. Out of the corner of his eye, Daisaku spotted something on the shoulder of another mech, the glint of a rifle barrel.
“Joshua, down!” he cried. Joshua dove for the floor and the rifle spoke once. The bullet ricocheted off the ferrocrete, missing Joshua by inches. The handful of techs and others that had been milling about the floor of the mech bay dove for cover.
Joshua dashed for cover behind the leg of a nearby mech, drawing his blaster as he did so. “That you, O’Malley?” he yelled. “I know what you did. Come out and face me, you coward.”
Daisaku spun on his heel and leaped into his cockpit. His mech was still on standby and it took the flipping of only a few switches to bring his weapons back online.
The sniper fired again, the bullet striking the foot of the mech Joshua hid behind. The sniper was oblivious to the BattleMech powering up just meters away from him.
Joshua poked his head out and fired his blaster. Plasma bolts landed near the head of the sniper’s mech, but Joshua could not see his target from where he was.
Daisaku raised his mech’s large laser and fired. The beam struck the wall above the shoulder of the sniper’s mech, missing the mech completely. But the intense heat of the beam passing so close ignited the sniper where he stood. There was a brief scream of agony as a blazing human form lurched off the mech’s shoulder and plunged to the floor.
The Wolfhound stopped and Daisaku quickly disembarked to check on his friend. “What the hell is going on?”
Several MPs and others dashed into the hanger fully armed and ready for trouble. Joshua ordered them to stand down. “The threat has been eliminated.” He told them gesturing to the roasted sniper.
"Who was this guy?"
“One of O’Malley’s goons.” Guessed Joshua.
“Now he’s trying to kill you?”
“He’s done worse than that.” Said Joshua grimly.
Next Chapter
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