GWS-10

==Chapter 10 - Golden Horde==
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===Return of Sakamoto=== 
10/20/3046 Location: Masamori, Hachiman
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A Beacon Space Passenger liner's thermal shielding burned cherry hot as it slowed to merely supersonic in Hachiman's atmosphere. Heavy flaps slowed it further until it was slow enough to deploy landing gear safely. Twenty people sat in their fold out seats listening to the mechanical noises within the aerodyne dropship. One of them yelled over the roar outside. “These aerodynes are a lot quieter than spheroids, Franklin.”
“Safer too. Pity they can only make them so big.”
Outside the Beacon threw up white smoke as its wheels met pavement. Three drag chutes billowed behind it like an impossibly fast samurai's silken Horo bearing Isesaki Shipping's logo. Magnesium brake drums went incandescent on thirty two wheels as they slowed the 3,500 ton dropship over the two kilometer long landing strip. 
Inside the passenger cabins the caution lights dimmed as the PA crackled to life. “Welcome to Yoshitune Spaceport Hachiman  All passengers stay in your cabins and prepare for final processing.”
Three Port Authority Security Team (PAST) members entered the cabin with their scratched metal TEPs at the ready. Identity papers and luggage manifests were presented in turn to the khaki uniformed officials. “Anything to declare, Mister Sakamoto?”
“Its good to be back. Other than that I've transferred the details of my manifest to the Port Authority on approach.”
One of them double checked his folio. “Two custom LoaderMechs, a Komodo, and Kyudo. All authorized through Ibuki and Isesaki. Three additional MEUs. All will be bound and sealed until you transfer them to an appropriate holding area.”
Franklin handed them a piece of printed transparent plastic. A Tanadi Enforcement Pad scanned holographic seals and writing before beeping in affirmation. “We expect it there by nightfall and will inspect it tomorrow evening.”
“Watch yourself, Yak. Hachiman has had enough of your kind.” said the customs agent.
With that the trio departed to continue checking the passengers occupying the 'upper deck.' The spartan light gray covered corridors had become comfortable over the past fifteen days. Franklin squinted as his eyes and skin saw their first natural light in months. Hachiman's weak sun rose above the cerulean ocean casting shadows across the informal industrial wasteland of Yoshitune.
The arriving crew were greeted on the tarmac by those they left behind. Hugs and tears were exchanged over Arrow's loss suffered around Togura. Two Sherpa Armored Trucks idled at the ramp their gas hungry engines belching black smoke. 'WildCat' Loadermech feet clanged on the thick deckplates dragging the Heavy Ergonomic Containers marked with 'Ibuki Robotics' out of the cargo bay.
His apprentices and Isesaki Stevedores clambered about in Exoskeletons loading the Sherpas and heavy transports. Franklin crouched in the bed of a Masamori Mechanical Services duallie with a radio over his shoulder. He tasted the first Heiwa cigarette in months, spacecraft couldn't remove harsh odors and flammables were hazards. In spite of that he still couldn't quit making do with gum where needed. “How I've missed you.” 
A great crash caught his attention as one of the HEUs dropped into a Sherpa's trailer harder than it should. He pulled the transmitter forward straining the cord. “Tuyen, Shan, be careful with that!”
“It's a BattleMech, Chief. It won't break.”
“And industrial robots, really expensive ones. You probably bent the stakes.”
“I'll iron them out later.”
“Damn right. Pity I can't put it on your indenture any longer. Sherpas follow me to the new place.”
Behind the wheel sat Franklin with three of his 'bozos' occupying the rest. A mast mounted yellow hazard light blinked above them and each of the three vehicles moved slowly under Port Authority command. A Tall Nabori style banner mounted into the third wheel fluttered in the sea breeze made it visible to taxiing dropships, WorkMechs, and support vehicles while marking the height of an HEU.
Heavy cargo transports rumbled past them their suspension straining under the weight of their cargos. Plastic and metal containers bore logos for Hachiman Taro Enterprises, Tanadi Computers, Matabushi, and a dozen other Zaibatsu that made their homes on Hachiman. Arcane symbols and painted lines in a rainbow of colors divided the ferrocrete into safe and hazardous corridors.
An older man waited outside the MMS 'Vert' ('vertical' garage for Work and Battlemechs) waving frantically. Esper and Jerri peered over his shoulder as the duallie pulled over, allowing the Sherpas to back into the garage. “Who's that?”
“He's a friend. You guys help the others get those containers vertical and open.”, said Franklin
The door closed solidly as Franklin walked over the bearded man. His apprentices took their time until a glance hastened them inside. “What's going on, Ray?” he asked
“I need a favor, Frankie.” Ray told him
Franklin looked Ray over, the barkeeper was a lifer in this informal community. His weathered face made him look older than the 40 standard years he was. “How did you find out I was here?”
“I know people.” said Ray
“These people probably should have kept it to themselves but what do you need?”, he asked
“Money, a new crew has come in, raised the rent, and caused more trouble then usual.” Ray told him
A spent cigarette was thrown to the ground and put out by Franklin's work boots. “Fujio?”
“No, I haven't seen him in more than a month. Heard he got on the wrong side of the Oyabun.”
“Serves the snake right.”, said Franklin with spite
“A Hun named Khadan is carving up territory in Yoshitune in their name now. He's rough and ruthless.”
“Does he have any mechs?” he asked his old friend
“A couple of MODs, for the cages.” Ray informed him
Within the open bay the HEUs were being erected and opened to reveal two brand new Battlemechs. Both squat and industrial looking machines bristling with armament.
“Seems like Khadan and I are going to be having problems real soon. The Black Dragons are here to stay in Yoshitune.”
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===Flash to the Past===
05/17/3044 - Location: Battlefield - SaKhalin, Capellan Confederation
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A cyclonic ‘Dzud’ blizzard whipped across SaKhalin’s cold and dry equatorial grasslands. Fresh snow covered any sign of color in a smothering blanket of dazzling white. Bone white Battlemechs of 7th Ghost, and defectors from Warrior House Fujita, trudged through the storm bowing into the raging storm. Windblown snow covered their tracks almost as soon as the Battlemech lifted its foot to expose dark purple grass.
“Sakamoto, report.”
A skeletal Vulcan ranged slightly ahead of the main formation along with a Phoenix Hawk. Inside its cockpit Franklin Sakamoto looked out at whiteout conditions. Flurries reflecting their running lights of their Battlemechs. He hammered at the sensor display which was returning static.
“Tawagoto no Ichibu Battlemech. Damn those robes and their spare parts, utterly worthless both.”
His running lights reflection and his sensors failing under the harsh conditions made him feel more confined than any prison he found himself in.
“I got nothing. Either this storm and rocks below are running my scanners, or we are being jammed.”
“We have no active nav beacons and our scanners are failing. I am calling a halt until the weather clears.”
Each of the eight mechs waited while receiving intermittent and faint meteorological broadcasts in the open from orbiting DCA dropships. Snow piled high against the war machine’s legs gathering to the knee on the windward side.
Franklin tapped his built-in water ‘cooler/heater’ that ran on a similar heat exchange system to his cooling vest. The excess heat of his reactor made him sleepy after such a long deployment. Latest weather reports revealed that the storm would blow over within the hour.
“Tai-I. I think the rebels might have given us the slip. There is no way we can track them across the snow now to wherever they are hiding.”
A Fujita Thunder went to full power its Kali Yama Big Bore chambered one of its monstrous shells. One that punched right through the Tai-I’s Warhammer with a report that would have echoed off the mountains were it not for the raging storm outside. Hoses and debris were strewn before it like a man gutted. 
“Whoever said they were hiding.”
Mechwarrior Sakamoto spilled piping hot water across his belly as he jumped away creating icy patches where his jump jet exhaust melted snow. Ghosts scrambled for distance from the short-ranged guns of the Thunder and Hunchback losing cohesion for self-preservation. Low caliber autocannon shells from the Dragon, Shadow Hawk, and Vulcan spat forth pouring orange fire into the bitter whiteness at minimum range. At close range and in low visibility their effects muted compared to the Kali Yamas that thundered and knocked over the Dragon.
A Firebee loomed large in Franklin’s rear view, its Starcutter laser allowed the slightly slower machine to keep pace with the lightly armed and armored Vulcan. Franklin was in full retreat jumping to places just barely seen at the end of his night vision trusting his instincts and DI computer. Each blast of the laser stripped away precious armor and the jumping process began to gather enough heat to make the ground slippery upon landing complicating an already impossible process. 
His gyro had taken a heat making the already vulnerable mech even more so. Franklin looked around to see distinctive stone cairns peeking out above the whiteness. Behind him was a dark void filled with wild wind currents. “A river valley. So be it.”
Within the Firebee, Khadan Yu watched as the Vulcan leapt away at close range. He aimed right for the center torso and watched as the Yakuza Mech broke apart in midair. Its parts fell beneath the range of the spotlight held in his Mech’s off-hand. “No way he survived that. Even if he did, he'd freeze before reaching friendlies.”
“Kill confirmed.”
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===Walking down to the River===
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Two young men dressed in thick woolen coats walked across the silent blanket using metal snowshoes. Each carried a shouldered bolt rifle, long handled shovel, and pack frame supporting half of an auger assembly. Behind them three long necked and Llamas with blackened eyes and something that looked like a blindfold carried their tent, camp stove, and other heavy backcountry necessities. Above them the sky was clear and bright blue.
SaKhalin’s weak orange dwarf sun shone dimly. Its heat raising the temperature slightly above freezing for the first time in four days. Through their bone goggles they took in the vast openness of this river valley. 
“That was some storm last night, Shan.”
One of them held the matte gray ruggedized DCMS ‘surplus’ long-range radio. Its long antenna whipped about as they walked along. “At least they was kind enough to give us some advance warning. Even if they weren’t aware of it.”
“Its about the only good thing they have done for us so far.”
Pieces of metal stuck out above the snow like the stone markers placed to mark the river’s edges under deep snow for the mountain nomads. “They paid us well for our supplies last week. Its why we are out here during storm season.
“Looks like something crashed into the river.”
“I guess we should investigate.
Bringing back some scrap from our fishing trip would go a long way for mom and dad.”
They stopped short of the partially buried wreckage. “I doubt the animals can pack it out. It looks heavy and we didn’t bring anything to cut it with.”
“Well then I guess we should get digging. Maybe there is something more valuable below the snow.”
Before they began the Llamas were unburdened and given their daily fodder. Oats imported from Kaifeng giving the beasts enough strength to push through the snow and into the sweet violet vetch grass below.
Within ten minutes their shove hit something hard, digging around it to find a Battlemech’s head half buried in the river ice. “Not quite what I was expecting to find in the river this morning.”
More snow was cleared away until they found the hatch which was frozen shut beneath the ice line. The younger looked to his elder brother. “Half stick?”
'“It will definitely wake the Mechwarrior up if it doesn’t break the ice around them.”
He nodded and climbed back out to retrieve their small ice auger setting it up next to the cockpit hatch with the black dragon on red circle emblem of the DCMS. The younger one paused his efforts. “You think it’s a woman? I hear they pilot mechs topless in the Combine.”
“You spend to much time at the bar. Get back to work. I’ll go prepare the charge.”
The hole was prepped and filled with a stone cylinder the same diameter of their dynamite sticks. Carefully the elder brother placed the charge meant to break up frozen rivers or set off controlled avalanches into the opaque white ice. He tied an extended fuse on the stick while his little brother departed with the auger to wrangle their pack animals for the impending explosion.
“Don’t take this wrong, Mechwarrior. We are doing you a favor. Even if it doesn’t look that way.”
Franklin woke in a cold sweat rising from his bedroll at the commotion going on beneath his apartment as the Bozos blew something up in one of their video games. A spark leapt from his lighter to find a cigarette retrieved from the crumbled-up box on his nightstand, next to a loaded pistol, by shaking fingers.
He opened the door and yelled down at the gathered teens illuminated by the flashing colors from their computer screens. “Turn that down. I’m trying to get some sleep here.”
Blinds were lifted looking out over Yoshitune’s roaming night market, its stalls and trucks illuminated under bright and colorful lights. “Damn kids.”
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