Chapter Thirteen

Helm System

Free Worlds League

June 18th​, 3025

We watched and planed as the forces approached. Colonel Finnan would take up a blocking position in the Drango Gap with his battalion minus a medium lance which was to be positioned in Lee's pass. My two lances were to take a blocking position in the Nagayan Canyon while my Manticores were placed under colonel Finnan in the Drango Gap to offset the loss of his medium lance. We have a weight advantage over the enemy but they have slightly more forces. The Colonel believes we are dealing with Duke Garth's home Guard battalion including his personal assault lance backed up by the local militia. He came to this conclusion based on images of the markings observed among the forces. So far, they do not seem to be in to much of a hurry. At their current pace they should arrive in the area of the engineering building tomorrow afternoon. We will be ready and waiting out of site in case they make a push for the passes. Otherwise we hope to delay any conflict as long as possible. Unfortunately, two days after they arrive the two Mammoth class dropships that brought loads up to transfer to the Vault will return and thus give away our location on the far side of the mountains.

Wood has been keeping a close eye on the enemy force as it sets up camp near the building and begins a search of the area. We have been communicating with Wood using runners and the internal communication system so as to not give our positions away. It is probably a good thing the Duke is here and not Colonel Langsdorf like in the novel. At least it appears the Duke is in charge and as inept as described in the novel.

So far, the enemy forces have been unsuccessfully searching the area around the building. The search parties are however getting close to the Drango Gap. It will not matter come tomorrow morning as the dropships will return. I may see combat tomorrow and I hope I can perform adequately.

The next morning sees the dropships return and the enemy pullback their search parties before slowly getting their force ready to enter the Drango Gap. It appears as if they expect to waltz right on through the pass with out opposition. Whoever the enemy commander is they are a fool. I setup my comms to listen to the battalion command circuit and Kharkov's command circuit for the coming battle.

I can hear the calls as the units power up and check in to the battalion net as the battle begins. It sounds like the enemy scout lance a pair of wasps and a pair of Phoenix Hawks tripped the ambush and were obliterated for their efforts. I listen in as Kharkov directs his tanks to target an approaching Wolverine and hear the wine of the PPC and the sound of missile launches followed by reloading noises. I continue to listen to the battle as it rages on, cringing when I hear Kharkov's tank take a hit or when a scream comes over the battalion net. Slowly the radio chatter begins to die down as from what I can hear the enemy is pulling back. I pay close attention to the status reports as I want to know how my guys are doing. I finally hear Kharkov report, "Ammunition low, minor armor damage, fully operational on all four tanks", I am relieved by the news. Not long after that I hear Colonel Finnan issue the order for rescue and recovery operations to begin, followed by orders for the most heavily damaged units to fall back to the facility for repairs.

We spend the evening and over night on edge in our powered down mechs hiding amongst the rocky bluffs along the canyons edges as the base is broad, flat and open. We are setup in over watch positions covering the river the enemy will have to ford in order to get through the mountains. In the early morning I am awoken by a runner with a message from Wood warning that a company of Vedette tanks are escorting some APC's our way.

Soon enough I pick them up with the beagle probe on passive mode. I watch as they make their way to the rivers edge. The APC's drop ramps and disgorge several infantry squads whom proceed to search for a crossing point. Suddenly Raptor jumps the Chameleon towards the river and begins shredding them with machine gun fire. I power up and step out from behind the boulder only to freeze in horror as he slaughters the infantry.

Bang, Bang, Bang rings out as autocannon fire from one of the Veddettes strikes my Black Knight. This breaks me out of my funk as I react as I was trained to by moving and lining up for return fire. The beagle has recommended a target and weapons selection on my HUD, so I go with it and fire my PPC and large lasers when I get tone. The blue white beam from my PPC strikes the front glacis of my selected target leaving a jagged scar in its armor. My large lasers both missed, damn I have not had the opportunity to zero the weapons on a rage. I forgot to do this in my haste to pilot a fancy new mech. I hope I live to regret my mistake. The heat floods my cockpit as my mech slows down and I take further hits from autocannon fire.

It seems I have attracted the attention of a second Vedette. Remaining on the move I give my heat sinks a chance to work only firing the PPC at my original target this time striking the Turret. At the same time, I see the most distant Vedette shrouded in missiles from Hot Shot's Archer. I receive more incoming autocannon rounds but manage to not be hit.

My next shots strike true as both my large lasers strike the glacis destroying the Vedette. I switch to target the second Vedette as I am once again struck by autocannon rounds. Luckily the damage has been spread across my mech.

I notice Willy is having a tough time as the Battlemaster only has a PPC for long range combat and his target is maintaining distance with its faster speed.

I fire my PPC and one large laser as soon as I get a lock on my new target learning to watch my heat from earlier. This time my PPC over shoots the target but the laser hits the turret. I see willy's target finally brew up after taking a brace of LRMs from the Archer.

I watch my target take a pasting of laser and SRM fire to its side from the Battlemaster as it turns to help me. The Vedette dies as Willy rips open the side and the missiles detonate inside it.

I readjust my aim to take a quick shot at the fleeing APC's with my PPC but miss. Scanning the area, I see that we have destroyed all twelve Vedettes.

I try to avoid staring at the remains of the infantry troops as I listen to Mastiff tear into Raptor for jumping the gun on the Ambush. Checking my damage readout finds me surprised that not a single location was struck more than once leaving my mech in good shape over all.

We pull back behind the cover of boulders as I gather status reports from the others to provide to Mastiff. I have managed to survive my first combat even if it was just militia tanks. At least I know I am capable of being a 'real' MechWarrior even if I did freeze momentarily. I am sure I will have to come to grips with taking the lives of the tank crew. But at the moment I am just happy to be alive. None of the mechs took any serious damage and our ammunition state is still good so we have been ordered to remain here to continue guarding the canyon.

Later that afternoon we learned that the enemy was turned back from Lee's Pass when the Colonel rushed an additional lance to the defenders via the facility transport system thanks to a warning from Wood. I have to remember to give that guy a raise, he has definitely earned it.

After waking up from my allotted nap time I learned that an attempted boarding of the Jumpships was turned back as the enemy was surprised by our reinforced fighter wing. Unfortunately, we lost one of the Stingrays and the pilot who transitioned over from small craft duties.

It looks like the enemy is preparing to try the Drango Gap again. Colonel Finnan has requested that the Manticores switch with my lance as he wants my heavy mechs for the coming battle. Having no reasonable reason to refuse I accept his orders and prepare to lead my lance to the Gap once the Manticores arrive.

Just before heading to the Gap I get a private comm message from Mastiff warning me to watch my ass out there. Upon arriving at the Gap I check in with the Colonel and find out where he wants us. Reaching our assigned area, I survey the lay of the land. There are many boulders large enough to provide some cover for us, although it will affect our ability to move about.

I place my lance in a diamond formation with Willy out front, Shane and myself to either side, and Hotshot bringing up the rear. Making use of the nearest cover we await the enemy's arrival.

A short time later we receive a warning that the enemy is coming. Keeping an eye on my Hud I wait for the beagle to do its thing. Soon enough it comes back with ID's on the closet targets a Hunchback 4G, a Thunderbolt 5S, a Warhammer 6R and an Orion 1K. It suggests the Warhammer as the first target but I disagree and order my lance to target the Hunchback first followed by the Orion. I want the AC/20 gone and the Orion is a walking bomb with all the ammunition it carries so I hope to take it out quickly.

As soon as it enters the Archers range, we unleash on the hunchback. Four PPC's, AC5 rounds and forty LRM's converge on the Hunchback knocking it to the ground. We take return fire in the form of PPC's and LRM's which are mostly directed at Willy's Battlemaster. He shrugs off the damage as we fire at the Hunchback once again as he is trying to stand up. We only mange three PPC's, AC5 rounds and twenty missiles as Shane's Marauder holds back a PPC to control her heat just as Hot Shot did with one LRM20. The Hunchback once again topples over now missing its right side.

"Switch to the Orion" I order as I see both the Warhammer's PPC's strike the Battlemaster. I take hits from the Orion's AC10 along with a smattering of LRM's. The Thunderbolt has targeted the Marauder as Willy charges forward to engage the Warhammer.

I fire a PPC and a large laser at the Orion while Shane fires both PPC's at it but leaves out the AC5. I watch as the weapons converge on the Orion followed by forty LRM's. I am not sure who is hitting and who is missing with so much fire on one target but we are stripping armor quite effectively, Willy even took a passing PPC shot at the Orion on his way to the Warhammer.

This time the Orion and Thunderbolt both target Shane. I continue to fire a PPC and a large laser at the Orion as Shane switches out a PPC for her AC5. Hot Shot continues his two one two pattern of LRM20 barrages. Shane once again takes the return fire; it seems they have learned from us to try and take out a mech using combined fire.

Hot Shot begins falling back as the range is closing. I however do the opposite in hopes of drawing fire away from the Marauder and getting into range for my medium lasers.

Willy and the Warhammer seem to be exchanging fire at close range.

Entering range for my medium lasers I fire all four plus a large laser at the Orion who returns fire at me with his AC10, two medium lasers and an SRM4. The Orion explodes as one of us must have ignited an ammo bin. My mech has lost its right torso large laser to damage from the Orion's return fire.

Willy seems to be holding his own so we turn on the Thunderbolt. Shane pulls back to the Thunderbolts right as I advance to its left side trying to shield my open right torso. Shane and I fire on the thunderbolt as we watch twenty LRM's arch overhead to strike the Hunchback as it was trying get behind Willy. The Hunchback drops to the ground presumably out of the fight for good this time.

Willy is now in melee combat with the Warhammer, but I have no time to watch as I hear Shane swearing as one of her PPC's has gone off line. The three of us continue to pummel the Thunderbolt as it retreats now that it is severely out numbered.

Willy managed to cripple the Warhammer but took a pounding in the process. The Thunderbolt managed to retreat but was in rough shape when it did so. Checking on the wider battle it appears we have pushed them back once again.

After confirming the status of my lance mates, I report our lance's state to the Colonel and request the opportunity to repair our mechs except for the Archer as it only needs its ammunition reloaded.