Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Four: Hanging on

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Four: Hanging on

Kessel, Draconis Combine, December 25th, 3030

"Pull back into the mountains." Colonel Carter ordered. "We can hold them off easier from a defensive position."

"When did the 18th Dieron Regulars start using Royal tech?" Major Davis asked as he walked into the mobile HQ. "I know we're using Clantech on a lot of our units, but we didn't expect lostech to be a thing that they were using on regular units."

"We're fairly sure the Helm Core data was leaked or stolen sometime around 3020." The Intelligence Liaison spoke up. "Dunham thinks that it was a deliberate leak to the Draconis Combine from MIIO."

"Why would they leak that though?" Davis asked. "Wouldn't it be better to field the edge?"

"We've had the core for over two decades now." Carter said, "And with the three main nations of the Defense Alliance having access to the Wolf Clan Technology core we still have the edge." She shrugged, "We've started issuing Royal grade weapons and mechs to our regulars, not just our elite rated units, and the Dieron Regulars are rated as an Elite unit, along with Dexter Kingsley being one of the few COs in the DCMS that is actually good at combined arms warfare."

"That's actually a good point." Davis said as the Mobile HQ fell back further into the mountains towards their fortifications. "We can still maintain the technology edge, and we had a much larger headstart on the development and repair of factories."

"We can finish this discussion later." Carter said. "We've got a heavy company beginning to push towards the LZ."

"Back to it I guess." Davis said with a sigh as he grabbed onto the ladder hanging down from his modified Gladiator. "I better go make sure that our people didn't get greedy with the salvage, if they're still out there salvaging this could lead to a massacre."

"I'm pulling up the sat feed now." One of the techs called out to Carter. "That's a lot more than just a heavy company ma'am."

"Scramble our CAS, and get the Vengeance's in orbit on standby, we might need some ODST's dropped in behind them in order to make sure we don't get overrun."

"Ma'am, we're going to have to hold out for longer, I just got word that there are more DCMS forces at the jump point." A tech relayed. "No confirmation, but may be another regiment or two."

"Well, this day just keeps getting better doesn't it." Carter said wryly. "Start breaking out the Arrow IV artillery, I think it's time we started taking more of these guys with us." She stood up and got ready to leave the Mobile HQ.

"Where are you going Ma'am?" The lead staff officer asked.

"I'm getting in my Von Luckner, we're going to need all of the firepower we can get." Carter replied. "I can coordinate things from there."

Ko, Lyran Commonwealth, December 28th, 3030

"We're almost done packing up, and with the garrison forces on schedule to be landing in a couple of days we're moving on to Altair." Stone told his senior staff as he looked over the newly unsealed orders. "We may have our work cut out for us, the people who are supposed to be on Altair are the 18th Dieron Regulars, and we know that they are very good at their jobs."

"We got this sir." Major Vance chimed in. "We just can't get cocky."

"Well, I guess we'll find out when we get there, it's two jumps away from here so we're not going to have a lot of downtime." Stone said. "How do you think Cartis is doing over on Kessel?"

"Blowing things up and making people regret their decisions as usual." Vance replied. "We all know that the only reason she didn't go on to be a part of the SLC is that she enjoys blowing things up too much."

"That she does," Stone replied, "That she does."

Altair, Draconis Combine January 23rd, 3031

"Well, it looks like we have a challenge ahead of us." Joshua Wolf said as he analyzed the readouts on the forces that were burning towards the planet of Altair. "I do believe that is the 2nd Marksman, who are commanded by Colonel Robert Stone. He is a much more aggressive fighter and commander than the rest of the Marksman, and prefers to be on the offensive."

"You have much intelligence on our enemies," Chu-Sa Jerry Akuma said with a nod. "This will be useful in helping us exterminate the enemies of the Dragon."

"We outnumber them," Colonel Joshua Wolf said, "But we should not underestimate the Marksman, many are the elite units that have been broken and shattered for that very mistake."

"Then I am exceedingly grateful that you have provided us with the means of our victory." He gestured to the slightly smaller Elemental suits that had been developed off of the designs and specifications that Joshua Wolf had provided.

"Remain wary, we have had ten years of peace, and we do not know everything that Hull and his pet scientists may have come up with over the years." Tai-ShoMinobu Tetsuhara reminded them. "We have not been idle ourselves after all, and is it not honorable to show ourselves worthy of fighting a force that has defied all odds before?"

"Aff." Joshua Wolf said with a slightly mad grin. "My only regret is that Hull is not here himself for a chance to battle."

Kentares IV, January 31st, 3031

"Come on Ian, if you don't start moving then Sandoval is going to start looking for excuses to try and have Hanse take your place." I told the man who was on a quick visit. "Especially after the marriage alliances that the three of us in the Alliance just agreed to."

"We're working on something Mark, you just need to be patient." Ian cautioned. "I want to be out there fighting just as much as you, but we have to take these things slow sometimes."

"Really Ian?" I raised an eyebrow. "You don't get to talk to me about patience when you tried to commit suicide via samurai ten years ago."

"And you are not trying to do the same now?" Ian asked me. "You are asking to invade another nation after all."

"Because minus the ten year ceasefire that is now over they've literally proven that their desire is to control the entirety of the Inner Sphere." I responded. "The only other threat I can imagine to actual peace for our time and age is the Clans, and Nat left them in a chaotic mess when she left."

"Mark, just give me a couple of months to shift some units around." Ian said with an exaggerated sigh. "You seem a little on edge and bloodthirsty compared to normal, what's up?"

"Something's very wrong." I stated calmly and with ice in my voice. "I'm not sure what is wrong, but I can feel it deep in my bones and if we don't do something very soon then we may have some serious issues on our hands."

"We haven't heard anything from the Outworlds Alliance in over five years Ian." I said. "Don't you think that's a bit odd for a nation that was mostly based on trade with nations?" I asked, "And, I know that Thomas Marik is fairly certain that they eliminated most of the radicals in Comstar, but the Outworlds Alliance always relied on Comstar far more than the other periphery nations, and we haven't gotten a single HPG message from them in five years, it's as if the entire nation went under a blackout."

"You're too paranoid Mark," Ian scoffed. "I'm sure it's just Comstar upgrading the entire HPG system over there or something with a rational explanation."

"I'm giving you a rational explanation Ian, rogue Comstar Radicals take over a stellar nation, rebuild their industrial might, and ally themselves with the Draconis Combine in order to start making their way back into a seat of power." I said bluntly.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see then." Ian waved me off. "I'm on vacation right now anyway, so shoo."

"Mark my words Ian," I said before I walked away. "This is going to come back to haunt you."

–

–

"He did not listen?" Natasha asked when I arrived back at my office.

"No, he completely ignored my every concern." I said, "I wish it were Hanse here, he at least has a good head on his shoulders for this kind of thing."

"Hanse is also more of a cerebral person than Ian is." Natasha reminded me. "It took the two of you years to get Ian to stay away from frontline combat, remember?"

"Yeah I know." I sighed as I drew my wife into a hug and a kiss. "I'm just concerned, and we seem to be the only ones who are concerned about this."

"The Taurians and Katrina took us seriously." Natasha reminded me. "Why, they even got the Magistracy to join the trade portions of the Alliance."

"Something is just off Natasha." I said as I grabbed a folder that Thomas Marik had sent me a couple of years ago. "They never found Vesar Kristofur, and he was the ringleader for the radical elements, and with him being the previous head of ROM he would have the means and capabilities to take over a place like the Outworlds Alliance."

"I know." Natasha replied, "But you cannot do anything more right now than you already have, so let us go and see if we can maybe give Sapphire a younger sibling, no?"