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Chapter 11 - This is the Way the World Ends - Wolf Skinners (3024)[]
Wolf Skinners bivouac around WSDS Mondez's impact site
Astrokaszy
0709 Local Time
24th July, 3024
A few minutes later, the frequency arranged with Renzi's Renegades crackled to life.
<<"Wolf Skinners, this is Renegade Actual. We copied some radio traffic a few minutes ago trying to reach you on IDF before it was jammed. Ah, if that really is Lieutenant Commander Fury inbound on your position, we would appreciate it if you didn't mention us to her. Over.">>
Sergeant Novak looked up at the duty officer, who just nodded. Keying the mic, Novak replied, <<"Wolf Skinners copy. Thanks, out.">>
A few minutes after that, Major Skinner and Captain Harris were in the vehicle, and fully briefed. Harris proposed taking The Fire and Recon lances along with the APC and the sniper platoon for personnel recovery. Skinner quickly approved, setting in motion a beehive of activity as the units staying behind took up defensive positions and stowed the chutes that were being used as tents. The enemy had already demonstrated their preference for destroying what they couldn't carry away.
Harris' idea was to rendezvous with the incoming unit well away from the encampment. He put the Fire Lance in the center of the formation, spread out line abreast to make spotting the incoming vehicles easier. The Recon Lance was split up further out on the flanks, making the sweep over a kilometer across. The APC followed in the center, picking its way through the rough terrain the 'mechs could just jump over or around. Overall, they were managing a speed of advance of roughly 50kph.
~100 km NW of the Wolf Skinner bivouac around WSDS Mondez's impact site
0856 Local Time
The intervening two hours had been nail biting for all involved. The Wolf Skinners weren't sure exactly what they were getting into. Lieutenant Commander Fury's crew was constantly looking over their shoulders. And the Al Mazrea units were plunging after the only certainty in their universe at the moment: the murderer of their Emir was somewhere ahead. Al Mazrea itself had gone radio silent not long after ordering the on-duty patrol units to pursue the escaping jeep.
The only logical conclusion for the pursuing units was that the inevitable struggle for succession was playing out well behind them. As long as they followed their last orders, it didn't matter who won. They would be blameless. That was cold comfort for the few who had families. Of course, they were the ones with responsibility for the more junior troops. The MechWarriors had less doubt. They were the junior scions of what passed for nobility on Astrokaszy. Their family interests extended beyond wives and children (not that either had any yet), and were almost unknowable to them. But not quite. It was certain that whoever could bring the Emir's murderer to justice would be held in high regard. But it was also just as certain that coming home without the family's most prized heirloom was death.
Among Fury's crew, all but two knew it was freedom or death. Athena was simply too young to grasp the implications of the chaos around her, but she put all her faith in her mother. And her mother was SO certain "This was it". What else could there be? Aliyah Ar-Rabigh, on the other hand, only knew that her options were the unknown future, or certain slavery to the now dead Emir of Al Mazrea. For her part, she was all in with the unknown. Life on the streets of Ar-Rabigh wasn't exactly great, but it was better than being beholden to the mortal enemy of her Emir, who according to her abductors "would be pleased with her looks".
VHF radio contact had been established around 30 minutes before, HF being completely useless at the moment. Captain Harris had hastily chosen a rendezvous point, and gave Fury a bearing to it. With luck, the pursuing units would be drawn into a trap that would see none of them return to their homes.