DE Chpt 7

<<Next Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
==Chapter 7 - Danger Everywhere==
----
9 April 3050
System 119628
----
"How much tranq we still have?" Major William Mitchell asked
"Enough to knock down a town if we need to. Six 55 gallon drums of the stuff, seven really but we already broke the seal on that drum. Why, we expecting trouble?" Captain Marcus Wright replied
"No, but Star's End could be trouble and I want to make sure have enough on hand. You now I prefer to inflict as few casualties as possible. That is why we have always used the Battlemechs to draw off defenders while your folks slip in and tranq anyone and everyone else to get what we wanted. That Clan tech was the first person we had lost to tranqs in a long time." Major Mitchell said
"He took four tranqs. Medics just could not get to him until the fight was over. We were spraying them like crazy at the time. Normal person a single tranq will take them out in less than 30 seconds, pop them with two and it's damn near instant. Those big assed Clanners took six plus to put down. We would have been screwed if we had been on a surface. Only a 25 meter range. At least in zero G they keep going until they hit something. It's not the juice we need to worry about it's the darts. We only have a few hundred of those left, we bent the crap out of the needles on those that missed taking this ship. Of course we get new needles and we can reuse the darts." Captain Wright replied
"We will scrounge around on Star's End for some. Not going to hold out hope though. How are the troops handling the Clan people?" Major Mitchell said
"There is still some hard feelings on our side, lot of good troops lost in the fight, but nothing serious. Though getting fresh air and no smell in the Dropships has raised morale quite a bit. They all know those big folks did the hard part to make that happen too. Sergeant Crumbly has sort of taken the lead on opening communication with the big people. From what I gather, he has sort of gotten on friendly terms with one of them." Captain Wright replied
"Good, very good. I have been told that those armor suits they use can take down a Battlemech. They fight as a squad or point as they call it. Five to a point or squad. Twenty-five in a Star, three Star to a Company or Trinary for those armor suits. Regular infantry is twenty five to a point, 125 to a Star. It it sort of confusing. I have heard so many terms, Trinary, Binary, Nova, Cluster. I have it all written down in my quarters. Five Battlemechs to a Star and 15 to a Trinary, there version of a Company. Which means no Company on Trinary fights if I can avoid it. But on the armor suits, I would love to have them as a force multiplier." Major Mitchell said
There was some hesitation from Captain Marcus Wright before he replied "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves yet, sir. Not sure any of us are ready to fully integrate those folks in fully armed suits. I lost over a platoon taking them down without them in suits, I don't think we could bring one down in a suit before we all got wiped out."
"I did not say we were doing it right now, just saying I would love to have that as an option. My main concern though is support. All sorts. We have 36 battlemech techs. I cannot even keep up with normal maintenance needs much less battle damage. You have four mechanics and I know your guys help with the maintenance load on the four APCs. But we get into a hard fight, well we have a glass jaw. We would not have the ability to repair battle damage or even reload in a decent amount of time. I barely have enough spare parts, armor or ammo for much more than a really good fight. One fight and then I am down a bunch of Mechs." Major Mitchell said
"Not much we can do about those issues. I have no problems with my folks pitching in where they can to help with maintenance on your Mechs. They won't know squat about what to do, so they will have to be taught." Captain Wright replied
"Any help at all will help out a bunch. Thanks. I will have Jersey show them what to do." Major Mitchell said referring to his chief tech.
----
<<Next Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
7