Blood on the Horizon
- Chapter 86 -[]
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You should seen the Other Guy[]
Date: June 16th, 3008
Location: New Aragon, contested world
"We late to the party?" Sheppard's Mongoose stepped off the Effervescent.
"Nah," I responded, my 'Hammer shifting to hold pace with the light 'mech. "There's still plenty of work to be done. The Highlanders still control some decent positions in the mountains. We've dealt with the Fusiliers, and Waco Rangers, but the rest of the Capellan supporting units are still in defendable positions."
"Where do we need to slot in?" Sheppard asked, his 'Mech's Beagle Active Probe and computer scanning the environment and giving him a solid picture of our current situation.
"We're in a holding pattern for now," I replied. "Even if we manage to push the Highlanders off world, we've got to deal with the threat of the elements they're leaving behind."
"So, we're on pacification once we manage to kick the Crapellan's asses," Sheppard chuckled. "Sounds like I'm back with the AFFS again."
"I mean," I made my Warhammer shrug. "We kinda are. At least you're getting paid more?"
"Damn straight," Sheppard followed me towards the building we were using as an administrative center. "Not like the AFFS would have given me a sweet ride like this."
"We can still try to move you to that Marauder we stole from the MAC," I parked my Warhammer and began shutting things down.
"Nah," Sheppard began to do the same. "I'm partial to 'ole Jazz over here. She's got speed, she's got armor, and she can see further than anything else around."
The comms then cut off as I shut down the reactor and opened the hatch. I grabbed the chest rig and carbine from storage and secured them before pushing the door open fully and kicking the ladder down.
I climbed down the ladder and dropped down the last few feet, then turned and nodded at Sheppard as he walked over.
"Looks like you took some damage," Sheppard's eyes drifted up to the some of the scars on my armor plate that we hadn't buffed out yet.
"You should see the other guy," I smirked.
"I'll look at the BattleRoms later," Sheppard laughed. "Now, let's figure out where you need me and the troops I brought with."
Finishing things Up[]
Date: June 25th, 3008
"Sheppard, take a fireteam and flank those missile boats," I ordered, forcing my 'mech to move through and under a cloud of missiles, avoiding most of them and allowing a few more to pockmark across my shoulders.
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Mongoose Light 'Mech
"Copy that, Colonel," Sheppard's Mongoose shifted and drove past me, flanked by a handful of refit Hunters and a couple of Toros. "We'll take care of them."
"Enemy identified, Scorpion," Betty highlighted the next vehicle to take a shot at me, the ack-five still smoking.
Twisting, I threw a bolt of manmade lightning at the offending vehicle, melting its armor into slag and throwing track to the side as it stalled out while the crew bailed, leaving it behind.
"Boss, it's not LRM Carriers," Sheppard reported. "We just captured a lance of Hunters."
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Warhammer Heavy 'Mech in combat
"We'll add them to the refit list," I replied, chasing down the remaining combat vehicles.
"Colonel Hull, the Highlanders are lifting off now, and all of the remaining elements are to be dealt with," Jaime's voice explained over the command channel. "The remaining Capellan forces should be easy to deal with. I will update you with further information shortly,"
"Understood, we'll finish this group and start handling the others in our AO."
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Packrat Scout Vehicle
I quickly shifted channels and sniped at fleeing Scorpions and Packrats with my PPCs.
"Sheppard, we've got an update. The Highlanders are leaving. All that's left is mopping up."
"Rog, Colonel, I'm leaving behind a third of this fireteam to cover the salvage. Then we're Oscar Mike to your location."
"We'll slow down so you can catch up," I said, dropping my throttle to a fraction of what it had been. "I'll call for CAP and see if there's anything they can see from the skies."
I slowed to a walk, my fireteam dropping in speed as well.
A few moments later, Blaze's Eagle streaked overhead, and my computer lit up with the signals from further up the mountain.
"And that's why we slowed down. Sheppard, link up with the rest of the battalion. We've got an infection in that passageway up ahead. And I aim to burn it out,"
Seeing relearning Lessons of the Past[]
Date: June 30th, 3008
Location: Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
"Ma'am, we've identified and acquired the ways to access the Nagayan Mountain complex," Simon Johnson reported. "I have a handful of agents and personnel inserting as traders now. They have two Mules and a standard Merchant with them. If there's anything, they'll find it and bring it back to us."
"I want this kept as dark as possible," Katrina rocked Melissa back to sleep in her arms. "We have no idea what's there. If there's 'mechs and other equipment, then I want a steady rotation of 'trade' vessels through there until the complex is emptied out. I don't want anything left for our enemies to use against us."
"I've already begun preparations for that," Simon nodded. "I've also had more analysts diving into journals and other records from the Amaris Civil War. If there's anything that our predecessors missed, we'll be looking for it."
"The Commonwealth might still possess the largest manufacturing capacity of the Inner Sphere. But we are far from our previous strength. Anything we can find and bring back will be an attempt at restoring our nation to the heights we were at previously," Katrina stood and gently set Melissa down in the nearby crib, rubbing the baby's back as she almost woke up before drifting off to sleep.
"I'll leave you to it." Simon bowed slightly and made to leave the room.
"Simon, I need you to arrange a message delivery to a friend of mine." Katrina sat down at her desk and began writing out a letter. "I have a feeling he knows more about abandoned industry and Star League Complexes than he lets on."
"I'll see what agents I have available in the area," Simon responded. "And ensure that he gets the message."
"Don't worry about a reply, we've got his unit under contract later this year. I'll get the answer myself sooner or later," Katrina finished writing and folded up the paper. "Just make sure it gets to him."
"It's good to see your reflexes are as quick as ever," Arthur ran through some exercises with Katrina, catching her fists in the boxing mitts before striking back with an open hand that she dodge. "I was worried it'd take longer for you to recover after the pregnancy."
"It would have taken longer," the Archon exhaled. "But we kept up the practice until I wasn't able to anymore. So recovery is easier. Besides," she huffed. "Even if I'm not leading from the front lines anymore, I still need to be in excellent physical condition. I can't ask my soldiers to do something that I wouldn't be able to do."
The two of them finished up the training before moving to the weight room, Melissa resting on Katrina's hip before being set down in a small play area.
"So, how was your trip to Arcturus?" Katrina asked as she helped spot for her husband.
"It was good," Arthur grunted. "MacEnroe's old facilities were still there, if in some disrepair. I purchased them and hired some engineering firms to start packing them up for Arc Royal. The Crossbow might be old, but she'll work just fine as the beginning for manufacturing there."
"I'm surprised we didn't reactivate the old companies before," Katrina replied. "There have been many times where more material could have resulted in a Commonwealth Victory."
"We longed for the days of the Star League," Arthur shrugged, moving out from underneath the weights before helping Katrina change them to her standards. "And forgot that there are lessons to be learned from the Age of War."
"So many forgotten lessons," Katrina agreed. "I wonder what else has been lost along the way…"