Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
24 April 3054
Kyle lifted up his rifle and glanced through the sight. The crosshairs on his silenced Draganov SV4000 lined up perfectly on the gate guard. A squeeze of the trigger and the guard pitched forward. His companion had roughly half a second to react before Javier’s shot put him down.
“Like clockwork.” Said Kyle to Nathan.
Nathan motioned his troops to advance. Roughly two dozen rebels headed across the field to the front gate of the prison. The advance was not as polished as a trained and disciplined commando team, but most of Nathan’s rebels were former soldiers. They hadn’t forgotten everything.
Nathan and Justice moved up next, followed by the two snipers and the Dark Rangers.
“Hope Doc is doing well. He’s not exactly cut out for this cloak and dagger stuff.” Whispered Cowboy.
“Keep your mind on the task at hand.” Said Justice. “Something’s not right here.”
“Agreed.” Said Nathan. “This is too easy.” He motioned again and the rebel squads moved inside the prison’s razor wire fence towards the main building.
“Not enough guards.” Said Kyle. His nose twitched. “What’s that god awful smell?”
“Blood.” Said Justice. “And lots of it.”
“Son of bitch….he didn’t.” said Nathan.
Nathan charged ahead of his squads and reached the front door of the first building. He shoved the heavy doors open and stepped into the empty central floor of a medium sized cellblock. Empty except for a few boxes and crates, and a solitary figure tied to a chair in the middle. A single light illumined the captive.
“That’s Tim.” Said Logan. He moved forward, Cowboy and Rohan close behind.
Kyle turned to the squads. “Form a perimeter….quick.” The rebels obeyed, moving to encircle the building.
Justice stepped inside. She paused, as her foot stepped on something odd. She reached down. It was the shell casing of a rifle round. She picked it up. “Still warm.” She observed aloud. She moved up to Nathan and the Dark Rangers.
“Dead.” Said Logan, grabbing Tim by his hair and pulling his head back. A huge gash in his throat confirmed to all Logan’s statement. But as Logan dropped the head of his dead soldier back down, there was a strange mechanical click.
“Fire in the hole!” screamed Nathan. Justice dove behind some of the crates as a flash-bang grenade dropped from Tim’s dead hand. With a deafening pop, it went off.
Behind the crates, Justice managed to avoid the flash, but the explosion was still enough to set her ears to ringing. She came to her feet to see the three Rangers and Nathan out cold on the floor by the dead Tim.
“It’s a trap!” she screamed out to Kyle. Although she put as much volume as she could, her own voice sounded barely louder than a whisper.
Whether Kyle heard her or not, she did not know. Justice came to her feet, bringing her assault carbine up to her shoulder. She swept the room, looking for a target. Sure enough, they came.
A group of ConsInt soldiers moved out of the shadows, eager to fetch their prize. They had not anticipated one of them had escaped the stunning effect of the grenade, a mistake Justice was quick to exploit. She squeezed the trigger on her carbine. A burst of three rounds caught the first in the chest, dropping him to the floor with a spray of blood. The other two dove for cover.
Justice fired again and again, moving towards the center of the room and to her stunned comrades. She hoped she could hold them off long enough to get at least one of them out the door. Rounds whizzed past her from behind as Kyle and some of the rebels came inside.
“Hurry! Get them out!” she barked at Kyle. Kyle obliged by grabbing Logan by the collar and dragging him to the door. Several of the other rebels did the same with the others.
Justice’s gun ran dry and she quickly switched clips. Gunfire could be heard outside the building as the rest of O’Malley’s ambush arrived. Likewise, ConsInt soldiers moved out from the cells above and opened fire on those inside.
“We’re pinned down.” Called Kyle.
---
Michelle and Craig as well as a few other rebels waited by the escape vehicles when they heard gunfire from the prison. “Son of a bitch, O’Malley’s gotten the drop on us again.” Said Craig, looking through a pair of binoculars.
“We expected some resistance.” Said Michelle.
“Not like this.” Said Craig. “Give me that radio…quick!”
Michelle handed over the walkie-talkie. Craig quickly barked into it. “Nathan, Logan, any of you, there’s a Karnov helicopter on the roof of your building. It’s the only way you’re getting out of there.”
---
Javier got the message. “Kyle, pull the troops back. Pull them inside.”
“And be trapped?” retorted Kyle quickly, firing on a ConsInt soldier.
“There’s a chopper on the roof. We can use it to get out of here.”
“All rebels inside NOW!” barked Kyle.
Logan and the others were slowly shaking themselves awake just inside the door. The rebels piled inside. Justice ran over to the door, satisfied that the trio from before were eliminated. “Quickly,” she ordered. “Move the crates against the door. It’ll slow them down. Keep to the walls and the ones upstairs won’t see you as well.”
Several rebels shoved the crates against the door. Logan finally came to his feet and let off a long burst upward. A soldier dropped to the floor from above, landing with a loud crunch on the concrete. “Too fucking many of them.”
“One less now.” Said Justice. “Go!”
Less than 10 rebels of the two full volunteer squads now remained. The rest had been cut down outside by the ConsInt ambushers. Gunfire continued to rain down on them from above, catching two more before they ascended the stairs to the second level.
Justice took the lead, stepping off the stairs to let off a long burst of her own down the catwalk at the ConsInt soldiers. “Keep going!” she said. “I’ll cover you here.” The others hurried upward behind her. Javier took up the rear. “Justice, come on!”
Justice stepped back and headed up to level three. Javier and her stepped over another fallen rebel as they made it to the next floor. Logan was letting loose with his profane battle cry, firing twin Mydron machine pistols down the catwalk at the ConsInt soldiers on this level. Justice grabbed his arm to get his attention. “Go!” She took up his position as Logan headed up the stairs to the roof. They could hear the rotors on the Karnov spinning to life.
“Lisa,” said Javier, using her real name. “Let’s go.”
Justice turned to follow when Javier rammed a stun stick into her gut. It discharged and she fell backwards down the stairs. “Say hi to O’Malley for me.”
He turned and headed out onto the roof.
“Where’s Justice?” demanded Logan as Javier reached the chopper.
“She’s not behind me?” lied Javier. He turned in feinted surprise just as several ConsInt soldiers stormed onto the roof. Logan opened fire, striking the first.
Rohan yelled from the chopper. “It’s now or never!” Logan and Javier pulled back and jumped aboard as Nathan took the helicopter into the air.
---
“Signed, sealed, and delivered.” Said O’Malley with satisfaction as he hovered over the unconscious Lisa.
“Sir?” said one of the nearby soldiers. “The Dark Rangers got away.”
“A temporary inconvenience, nothing more. See to the wounded. And deliver this one to my headquarters at once.”
“Yes, sir.”
Outside Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
24 April 3054
“Damn, everything’s been blown to hell.” Said Nathan. “O’Malley knew we were coming. He murdered those prisoners, probably just minutes before we arrived. Three hundred people slaughtered….”
“Someone ratted us out…again.” Said Rohan. The Karnov came to the earth in a grassy field about 5 kilometers outside the city limits. As it landed, Craig and Michelle and their squad drove up.
“Now I want to know who?” said Nathan.
“There’s no time. They have Justice.” Said Logan. “He has Justice.”
“He’ll take her to his headquarters.” Said Javier. “We’ll never get in there.”
“I don’t care. I’m going.” Said Logan. “No one deserves what he’ll do to her.”
“That’s suicide.” Protested Javier.
“You made it inside once. Broke someone out of there. If you can do it, so can I.”
“Logan, are you sure about this?” asked Rohan.
“Damn sure.” He said firmly. “Most merc outfits don’t survive their first six months. General Messer took us in, gave us every break, every opportunity. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let his wife die at the hands of that monster. Are you with me?”
“I am.” Said Rohan.
“As am I.” said Cowboy.
The three Rangers looked to their two comrades. Craig nodded. “Well, I’m not keen on the whole suicide thing, but if you say we go, Logan, I go.”
“Likewise.” Said Michelle.
“And the rest?”
“I’ll go.” said Nathan. “O’Malley killed 300 innocent people for this little game of his against you. I want a piece of his ass something fierce.”
“I’m game.” Said Kyle.
“We can’t all go.” Said Logan. “Doc and his crew are likely at risk as well. Kyle, can you and what’s left of our rebels here make for the spaceport?”
“We can. What’s you plan?”
“I need a dropship. Get me one. Javier, you know ConsInt headquarters. We need you.”
“This is insane.” He protested.
“Maybe, but we’re going anyway. O’Malley’s due a lot of payback.”
ConsInt Headquarters, Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
24 April 3054
“So what shall I do with you, Lady Lisa? The neural lash? It seems you’ve already had an experience with it.” O’Malley let the lash tickle across Lisa’s scarred back.
“I’m not the simpering weakling your brother turned me into. Not anymore. I will not break.” Lisa face was hard and determined, despite being stripped of her clothing and suspended from the ceiling by shackles to her wrists.
“Oh, I like a challenge.” He flipped the switch on the lash, electricity arcing across its narrow blade. With a snap of his wrist, he raked it across the skin of her back. Lisa’s muscles spasmed and she cried out.
“Goddamnit, leave her alone.” cried someone from the next prison cell over.
“Shut up, Mr. Tatsumea, or you’ll be next.” snarled O’Malley back at him. “Or I might even grant you the fate your friend Mr. Peal received.”
“Barbarian.”
“I said quiet.” O’Malley stormed over and slashed the neural lash across Kai’s face. The imprisoned Dark Ranger staggered back, collapsing beside Grayson.
“What’s she to you anyway, O’Malley?” snarled Grayson. “I thought we were the ones you wanted.”
“A bonus, Mr. Bell. And I’m going to relish her suffering and death as long as possible. And I don’t give a damn what you think of it either.” With that, he departed and returned to his own room. Without a word, he snapped the whip down again. Lisa screamed again.
“I’m already bored. Now what might I do next? I suppose I can afford some creativity here. Maybe tie a chain about your neck and strangle you a bit…just a little bit. Or I suppose I could go Yakuza on you. Chop off a finger or two.” He brought the neural lash up to her nose and tapped it lightly against her renkesu ring. “That’s somewhat fitting given your new lot in life, a Kurita whore. I can’t believe I was in the same room with you at Napineo’s palace and didn’t recognize you.”
“You talk too much. You’re like your brother that way.”
“Don’t speak to me about my brother!” He slashed the neural lash across her face this time. The thin metal cut a gash across her cheek. O’Malley raised the whip again. Suddenly, the alert sounded, startling O’Malley. “Well, well, well, right on time.” He walked over to an intercom and turned it on. “O’Malley here. Why the intruder alert?”
“A group of rebels just blasted their way onto the complex. They’re making there way towards your building now.”
“Send a squad of men down to the prison level. This is where they’re headed. We’ll trap them here, if they manage to make it this far.”
“Roger, Captain.”
“Your rescue party has arrived, as expected. Logan’s too much of a hothead not to go for broke now, not after what I did to his man at the prison. Same with Bairn and the rebels. Three hundred innocent corpses will drive even the most disciplined of soldiers mad with rage.”
“You are a monster. You and your brother are alike. Animals. You’re not even human.”
With that, Richard lost his temper. “I…said…do…not…speak…about…my...brother.” With each word, he brought the lash down again and again. With each blow, Lisa spasmed and cried out. Even as determined as she was, Lisa’s physical endurance could only take so much. The pain was unbearable. It made her delirious. Her mind drifted to Joshua and her son. She saw them in her mind and began to cry, not from what O’Malley was doing, but from the thought that she’d never see them again.
“So much for your defiance now.” Said Richard victoriously. “You see, Lady Lisa. I know you. I watched you. I watched as my brother raped you. I saw how he broke you. I know you have limits and soon we will reach them.” He hit her again. Lisa spasmed and passed out. O’Malley waited for her to come around. When she did, he struck again.
Mad with pain, she suddenly cried out. “Daniel, Joshua, I love you. Forgive me.”
“Who’s Daniel?” said O’Malley leaning down.
“My son.” Said Lisa, unaware of what she was saying. “Robert’s…son.” Her words trailed off as she passed out again.
Richard stood back up. “So, you gave birth to my brother’s bastard child. How interesting.”
---
Outside, Logan fired his SRM launcher, covering the Warhammer heavy mech guarding the prison building with flaming napalm gel. The inferno rounds had slowed the two guardian mechs down to a crawl, keeping them from turning their deadly machine guns on the rebel troops in the courtyard.
“That’s the building we want.” said Javier.
“Let’s make a run for it.” said Logan.
“Logan,” said Cowboy, looking at the two flaming mechs. “I’ve got an idea. You go on ahead.”
Logan nodded. “Good luck.”
Nathan, Logan, Javier, Craig, Michelle, Rohan, and four other men made their way inside the prison building. The hallways were clear, the civilians on base had no doubt locked themselves in their offices to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
“No guards.” said Nathan. “Something’s up.”
“No, they know where we are going. We’ll find the base’s defenders on the prison level itself.” said Javier.
“Where?” said Logan.
“Turn right and go down the stairs four levels. It’s at the bottom sub-basement.”
“Whoever goes through that door first dies.” said Nathan. “We’ve got to find a way to clear that fire zone first.”
Craig reached into his bag and pulled out several soda can shaped objects. “A nice heavy field of tear gas ought to do the job. Gas masks anyone?”
“Where do you find all this stuff anyway?” said Nathan.
“Everyone’s got a gift.” Said Craig. “Finding stuff is mine.”
The group proceeded forward cautiously. Two guards peeked around and let off a quick burst at the group. Logan and most of the others dove to the sides, avoiding the gunfire. Michelle was not fast enough. Four tore through her from her leg up into her abdomen. She dropped to the ground.
“God, no.” said Logan. He opened fire with his Mydrons, dropping the left guard. Nathan took out the other with his rifle.
Logan knelt on the floor beside Michelle. She was still conscious, but coughing up blood. “Damn, we need to get you out of here.”
“Goddamnit, dying hurts.” She complained through gritted teeth. “I guess this is payback. I have much to atone for.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We don’t have time for this.” Interjected Nathan.
“Then go on ahead.” Snarled Logan in response. “Michelle, we’re getting you out of here.”
“No, leave me. Get Justice out. I was the traitor. I…told them about the base camp at…Londonshire. It was a mistake. I’m sorry. I didn’t know…what sort of monster…he really is. But…the prison…wasn’t…” With that, she died.
“Fuck.” Said Javier. “It was one of yours all along.”
“No time to dwell on it.” Said Logan. The group moved to the stairs and started to make their way down. “Masks on.” said Logan, pulling his on and turning on the image enhancement.
The heavy steel door at the foot of the stairs was just as Javier had remembered it. To his left was another heavy door, the one behind which O’Malley had been torturing Gwen. He quickly checked it. To his disappointment, he heard nothing.
“Well, guys, this was as far as I had to go. I never had to actually enter the prison itself. The door’s vacuum sealed, so we’ll have to blast it open with C-12.”
Nathan stepped forward. “Man, I have to do everything. Javier, you get those grenades ready. The instant this door goes, I want that hall full of gas.”
“You and me both, my friend.”
It took Nathan about three minutes to wire to door. “Everyone stand back. Javier, you ready?” Javier nodded and Nathan detonated the plastic explosive.
The heavy steel door blew inward, filling the hall with smoke. Without a moment’s hesitation, Javier threw the first grenade in, filling the hallway with tear gas. Logan and Rohan dove inside, firing as they went. With thermal imaging, the two could make out the heat signatures of the first guards, the ones stunned by the blast and coughing on the gas. A handful of bursts and the first forms fell. Logan caught a brief thermal signature coming through the air towards them.
“Grenade, duck!” he said, throwing Rohan down to the ground and then diving himself. The blast detonated behind them, throwing them forward. Both men rolled on impact, largely uninjured but still a bit shaken.
Javier and Nathan came through next, the door had protected them from the grenade blast. Nathan’s assault rifle laid waste to the thrower, his pinpoint accuracy taking down the ConsInt soldier with a single bullet.
The tear gas broke up quickly. Logan tore off his mask as it cleared, blessing divine help in spotting that faint trace of its thrower’s hand on that grenade. “Maybe Christian was watching over us.” said Rohan, picking up his gun and dusting himself off.
“That’s what I was thinking, my friend.”
The blast had knocked the pair across an intersection. Down the intersecting corridor were a dozen prison cells, six to a side. Logan peeked around and saw a group of ConsInt soldiers at the back two, covering the corridor with their weapons, ready for anyone to come into their line of fire.
“Javier, Nathan, Rohan, cover me, I’m going to make my way to the first cell on the right.” said Logan.
“Why?” asked Javier.
“I’ll bet anything Justice is in the back. We’ve got to get to it somehow.”
“Alright. On three. One, two, three....”
With that, Rohan, Javier, and Nathan ducked around and opened fire. A lucky burst caught one ConsInt trooper, but the rest dove back behind cover. Logan dashed for the cell, diving in through the open door and rolling to his feet. Gunfire followed him across the floor, but Logan managed to keep one step ahead of the ConsInt troopers.
Logan’s distraction gave the rest of the group an opening. Nathan and Javier took up residence in the cell opposite Logan, while Rohan and the three remaining rebels occupied the next pair down. They were a mere 10 meters from the back of the corridor where the ConsInt squad was taking cover.
“I’m flushing them.” said Javier, leaning out to toss another tear gas canister. A guard snapped off one shot, catching Javier in the arm. He fell to the floor, grabbing his arm in pain. Logan let off two bursts from his Mydron, peppering his target with light rounds. The soldier dropped. Nathan pulled Javier back into the cell as tear gas filled the hallway.
Coughing and hacking, the enemy soldiers came out of their hiding places, desperate to get away from the choking gas. Logan and the rebels filled the hallway with fire, taking down all of the ConsInt troopers in a matter of seconds.
“This is hardly fair.” said Rohan as the gas cleared.
“I don’t care about fair.” Said Logan. “I care that they’re dead. Murdering bastards.” said Logan, coming out into the hallway, covering the back with his pistols.
Logan and Rohan moved down to the last quad of cells, stepping over the dead ConsInt soldiers. There was no sign of O’Malley. “Logan, in here!” exclaimed Rohan, firing a round into the lock on the cell to his left. The door swung open and a coughing and hacking Grayson and Kai stumbled out.
“Boy, are we glad to see you.” hacked Kai. “Check the next cell. O’Malley was torturing some woman in there.”
Rohan was already there. “She’s here!” He exclaimed. Logan came in and saw a bloody unconscious naked Lisa still suspended from the ceiling like a piece of meat.
“Is she?”
“Alive, yes. Cut, burned, and God knows what else. Looks like a neural whip.”
“O’Malley’s torture weapon of choice.” Said Javier, clutching his injured arm. He was bleeding quite badly.
“Speaking of the devil, where is he?”
“Secret passage,” said Nathan. “You can see the creases in the wall.”
“Coward.” Snarled Logan.
“I’m…sure…” began Javier as he pitched forward onto the floor. Rohan moved to his side.
“What the?”
“He was hit worse than we thought. Looks like they caught an artery. He’s losing a lot of blood from that wound.”
“Cut her down. We got what we came for.” said Logan. “Let’s go.” He stuffed guns from the dead guards into Kai and Grayson’s hands and headed for the exit.
---
Darting outside into the warm Northwind night, they saw the two Battlemechs, now devoid of the flamer rounds they’d been hit with earlier.
The Warhammer’s PA system crackled to life. “Hey, Logan, it’s all clear out here.” It was Cowboy.
“Your plan worked, I see. Hurry. We need to get out of here now. Javier’s badly hit, and Justice has been tortured half to death.”
“Where’s Michelle?”
“She didn’t make it.”
Cowboy brought the mech to a standstill and disembarked. “Wish we could keep it, but without hands neither one of these mechs will help us.”
“We need to get to the spaceport.” Said Logan. “Medical facilities on the dropship have what we need. I’d head for a hospital, but we don’t have the time. O’Malley’ll be gunning for us now.”
They headed for the streets. Logan quickly found a suitable vehicle, a civilian van, and jumpstarted it as the others piled in the back. “Nice to know those old skills still come in handy.” He mused, a bit full of himself.
“Javier and I talked about this,” said Nathan, “We’re going with you.”
“What about the rebellion?”
“We need to admit they’ve won.” Conceded Nathan. “Dozens are dead among our troops. Three hundred of our civilian supporters murdered. Justice out of action. Javier badly wounded. No, we’ve lost. Time to retreat and regroup.”
Georgia Spaceport, Georgia
Northwind
Conspiracy Occupation Zone, Federated Commonwealth
25 April 3054
Doc very carefully lifted the crate of autocannon ammunition into the dropship’s cargo bay. The powerlifter inside moved the crate from Doc’s forklift and slid it inside.
“Is that it?” asked the deck officer.
“I believe so. The mechs should be coming soon.” Doc backed up the forklift and drove back towards the hanger. He did his best to look inconspicuous among the mechs stored therein.
Unlike the others, his portion of the plan had gone flawlessly. So much so, no one questioned when he and his group arrived. It seems the spaceport had been expecting extra help anyway, since Duke Ryan had ordered his 1st Conspiracy regiment to the spaceport. Techs from all over were moving mechs about and Doc and his people simply melted in among them.
Logan and the others pulled up in their van. With all the commotion, no one even noticed their arrival or if they did, they paid it no heed. Doc headed over. “I take it things did not go as planned? Kyle arrived a few hours ago. His people are already aboard the dropship at the far end of the tarmac. They have control and are waiting for us.”
“We need to smuggle these folks on-board our ship.” Said Logan, referring to Nathan and the wounded.
“Best way to do that is to hide you in a munitions crate. Over here.” Doc motioned for them to follow. Within a few minutes, they were secure inside, all but Nathan himself. Doc handed him his cap. “Drive the forklift to the dropship. Time for me to be a mechwarrior again. Hopefully no one will notice you wearing that.”
“Not much of a disguise.”
“Worked so far.”
“We’re not out yet though. Be careful.” Said Logan. “Let’s get loaded up, you two. The dropship is waiting.”
Doc dashed over to his Ryoken and quickly climbed aboard. Logan parked himself in the seat of The Nightmare and checked his monitors. “Doc, I love you.”
“Oh, I forgot to tell everyone. I forged orders to have the ammunition bays on your mechs loaded.” said Doc as if on cue.
Rohan spoke up next. “How’d you manage that without drawing suspicion?”
“Uh, I had the ammo bays on all the mechs loaded. Even the ones that weren’t ours.”
“Oh, great.” said Rohan. “They’re fully armed and we’re fully armed. If we’re discovered.....”
“They already know we’re coming.” Said Logan grimly. “Okay, silence the channels. Lights and mediums, take the lead. Heavies and assaults, hold back with me. Let’s go.”
The Dark Rangers mechs moved out onto the tarmac and to the dropships without incident. Only four mechs could load at once, and Logan had arranged it that Craig’s Assassin, Grayson’s Shadow Hawk, Kai’s Wolverine, and Rohan’s Mantis would be first. If a battle erupted, those mechs were the most vulnerable.
Logan watched as those four moved up to the dropship. Besides the Rangers, only 15 Conspiracy mechs were still on the tarmac, plus a handful of vehicles. Although still outnumbered, the odds were more fair. Fortunately, the close confines of any battle here would prevent the dropships from using their devastating weaponry on the Rangers.
Suddenly, a broadcast went out from one of the enemy mechs. Even the Rangers picked it up. “Stop the Dark Ranger mechs immediately.” At that, the Conspiracy mechs turned to face the Rangers, weapons at ready.
“Here it comes, guys.” said Logan, locking his crosshairs onto a Conspiracy mech and opening fire. The game was up.
Four of the vehicles broke off from the rest, darting around to flank the Rangers mechs. Logan was about the sight them up with his inferno missiles when a pair of heavy pulse lasers slammed into his mech. A huge lumbering assault mech of unknown design came out from behind one of the dropships. Logan knew exactly who was in the cockpit with the pilot.
“Duke Ryan, you honor us with your presence. Didn’t think a little piss ant outfit like mine was worth the time of the leader of the oh-so-great Conspiracy.”
“Time to meet your end.” said Ryan Steiner.
Logan ignored the vehicles and turned to face Duke Ryan’s mech. Rohan barked in his ear through the radio. “We don’t have time for vendettas, Logan.”
“See if I care. We owe him for Tim, Gene, Whitey, and Christian.”
A slender medium mech darted into the face of Rohan’s Mantis and opened fire. It carried three pulse lasers, which hammered the armor of the smaller mech. Rohan figured it in the 50-60 ton range and was shocked to see just how blinding fast it was for its size.
“Cowboy, get Craig, Grayson, and Kai to that dropship.”
“You were slated for the first run too, get your ass over there.”
“I’ve got my hands full.”
“And I don’t? I’ve got two heavies on me, one of which is packing a Class 20.”
“Don’t let that monster get near our mediums, or they’re toast.”
Cowboy moved to disengage his opponents as Rohan moved in to take on the quick medium. The four enemy vehicles had moved to the flank and were now closing on Doc in his Ryoken. Beside him, the rebel pilot who’d helped out Cowboy at ConsInt headquarters turned to face the new threat in his borrowed Crusader.
As if by divine knowledge, the gunners of those tanks knew exactly where to place their fire. The largest tank was a massive Shreck PPC carrier, lugging three heavy PPC cannon. It cut loose on the inexperienced rebel pilot, hammering Christian’s Crusader with a withering barrage of fire.
“Kai, cover the new guy.” ordered Doc, who suddenly found himself face to face with one of the Conspiracy’s new original designs, a Captivator.
Kai moved his Wolverine over to intercept the Shreck. Nearly one hundred SRM missiles hurled towards his mech from one of the other tanks: an SRM Carrier. Lightly armored, it carried a withering array of missile batteries that could turn even an assault mech into scrap in a matter of seconds. Kai’s mech weathered the barrage, emerging from the cloud of smoke with nearly all his armor gone.
“I can’t take another hit like that.” said Kai. “I can’t help him.”
Doc moved his Ryoken away from the Captivator and cut loose with a pair of his heavy lasers. The lasers sliced through the thin armor of the SRM carrier, detonating its ammo. The small tank blew apart like a toy with a firecracker stuffed within.
The Captivator took advantage of the opening to pound the Ryoken with its Class 10 autocannon. The blow staggered Doc’s mech.
“We don’t have the firepower to hold them off. There’s just too many of them.” exclaimed Doc, keeping his mech on its feet.
The Shreck fired again, spreading its fire between the Crusader and Kai’s Wolverine. Neither mech was in good shape and another hit from those PPCs would destroy either one.
“Kai, Daugherty, head for the dropship. Withdraw from battle.” ordered Doc. “That’s an order. I’ll take the Shreck.”
“You can’t handle both the Shreck and that Captivator.” said Kai.
“Just do it!” snarled Doc, cutting into the heavy armor of the Shreck with his lasers. The tank retaliated, pounding the Ryoken with its trio of PPCs. The blow was telling, knocking the Ryoken off its feet.
“Logan, someone....Doc’s down.” cried Kai.
Logan twisted the torso of the Nightmare and lobbed a burst of inferno missiles towards the Shreck. Unlike mechs, which were shielded against the intense heat of infernos, the Shreck’s crew would quickly incinerate within their own tank if those missiles hit. The shot missed, setting a patch of the tarmac aflame a few meters short of the Shreck. That made the tank back off from Doc.
However, that didn’t deter the Captivator and it gave Ryan Steiner in his Grand Titan an opening on Logan. The Titan launched a spread of SRMs into the Nightmare, pounding on its weakened armor.
Half a dozen monitors within the Nightmare’s cockpit shorted and went blank. With his sensors and controls damaged, Logan was a sitting duck to Steiner’s heavier and better armed mech. “I’ve got to withdraw on the next batch.”
Which went without saying. As he was speaking, Daughterty, Kai, Rohan, and Grayson were loading. That left only Logan, Cowboy, Rohan, and Doc remaining on the battlefield. Of those, only Rohan’s mech had escaped dire injury.
“Logan, Cowboy, Doc, get in position. I’ll hold them as long as I can.” Said Rohan.
“You’re no match for that sort of firepower.”
“Shut up and do what I say.” Retorted Rohan. “I know that.”
Rohan’s Clan level lasers sliced into the nose of the Shreck carrier, punching through and finally destroying the lethal pest. He quickly backpedaled onto the ramp of the dropship as Cowboy climbed aboard. Only Logan remained, stubborn as ever, helping Rohan hold the enemy off. But there were so many: Thunders, Captivators, Minutemen, Tempests, and a number of other brand new potent Marik, Conspiracy, and Liao designs. They could not hold them off forever.
“Time to go.” Said Logan. Rohan obliged by stepping backwards into the dropship’s bay. Now Logan was the only one left on the battlefield.
“Your turn, boss. Hurry.” Logan turned and dashed inside the dropship. A barrage of fire from the dropship prevented anyone from making a last minute attempt to stop him.
As Logan’s mech was locked into place on the dropship, he felt the roar of the engines. He silently prayed that Kyle was in the captain’s chair as the dropship began to lift off, although he knew better than to doubt it. That blast of weapons fire that kept the Conspiracy mechs back was a sure fire sign that someone on his side was on the bridge.
He opened his canopy and climbed down to the floor of the mech bay. The acceleration of the dropship’s launch made his climb difficult. He sat at the foot of his mech and weathered the launch. Across the room, Cowboy and the rebel medic were watching over Lisa, who had been extracted from her crate.
Within minutes, the initial rush of launch passed and the dropship settled into its normal 1G burn to the jumpship. Logan got up from his seat and headed for the bridge.
Rohan and Doc were there, weapons at ready. The dropship crew, fearful for their lives, set the ship on course to the Rangers’ jumpship. “Any signs of aerospace pursuit?”
“No, if it they don’t launch soon, they’ll never catch us.” said Javier. “I think they’re letting us go.”
“That doesn’t seem likely.” said Logan.
“O’Malley is many things. Arrogant is also one of them. I doubt he figured you’d make it this far.” Said Kyle.
Logan slumped back against the back wall of the bridge. “Get some rest, Logan.” Said Kyle. “You’ve earned it.”
“Have I? Half my unit is still down there, dead and gone.” He looked out a window, trying to see the receding green ball that was Northwind. “Farewell, my friends. You will be remembered.”
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