Foresight (ATwT) Chpt 2

Hanger 9, The Devalis’ Devils
Warren, Warren PDZ
Capellan March, Federated Suns
13th June 3099
The cup flew through the air and smashed against the far wall of their small office as Captain Anna Devalis entered the room. Lieutenant Eric Storm was sat behind one of the desks and looked up “your meeting went well, quiaff?” He asked as she slammed the door closed, they were the only two present so it would be good to maintain some speech discipline.
“Same as the last two!” She stormed grabbing a chair she spun the seat around and sat on it leaning on the back the chair gave out an audible creak but held firm. “Your name sounds like its from Clan Nova Cat, a few of your Mechs look very well maintained for being based in the periphery.” She continued on her rant “I felt like saying yes I’m an ex-pat Nova Cat, I’ll happily shoot them for you you honorless bastard! As far as he is concerned, we are an operational risk and he won’t let us leave Warren.”
“I had to sell a large laser this morning to pay for the rent on this place and the docking fees. If we are stuck here for any length of time, we’ll have to call for evacuation.” He said she glanced at him with the contraction but it was an acceptable slip, they had been encouraged to use them.
“I am aware, that will not happen however” she said without elaborating suddenly there was a knock on the door the two of them exchanged a glance then Anna called out “Enter!” The door creaked open to reveal a visitor in AFFS duty uniform he was in his mid-forties there was a slight greying to his blonde hair but his uniform was impeccably kept. Anna cursed under her breath firstly he’d gotten this deep into their base without being stopped and passed to her. Anna rose from her chair “I am Anna Devalis, the commander of Devalis’ Devils, welcome to out hanger.”
“Thank you, I’m sorry to interrupt” he said in a particularly strong accent “I wish to hire your unit for a raid, if you are willing?”
“We’d be more than willing to listen but my unit is currently on a no-fly list thanks to local intelligence.” Anna replied wary of this new stranger and wondering how much he’d heard.
“I have some pull with them” he said confidently taking that as permission to enter and grab a seat. Anna did not stop him as he spun it and sat on it like she had her chair leaning on the back, like Anna’s chair it creaked but it did not give way. “Allow me to introduce myself I am Duke Michel Arnaund of the system of Molino. Clan Nova Cat are becoming more adventurous against Federated Suns worlds with what they call honor trials. I assume you are aware of such events from your time in the Taurian Concordat, yes?”
“We are we faced a few of them before.” She admitted having their first mission as a raid against her own people was not part of the plan.
“Then perhaps you will accept this contact? We’ve learned that the Nova Cats have inhabited an empty system between their space and the Federated Suns we wish to make them rethink their plan with a raid. My command lance will join you to ensure completion of the raid while your third lance will train with my militia on Molino. On completion we’ll pay you at a competitive rate, you’ll be entitled to some of the salvage and I’ll send word to the MRBC of your successful completion of the objective which will help shut the intelligence pukes up for a bit.”
“We’re interested” Devalis replied looking at the Duke “if you can clear it with local intelligence my people can complete this type of mission. We’ve fought the Clans before, we’ve lost people before, we can do it again. One question why turn to us?”
''
“The Nova Cats raided my world several months ago killing my son, I want a piece of revenge. You will be compensated handsomely for your efforts. I will have you cleared to fly by tomorrow morning at the latest. I look forward to working with you.” He said raising from his chair Devalis did the same as he reached out with his hand, she did the same and shook their agreement. “I’ll have my office forward paperwork this afternoon for you to sign off on?”
“We’ll be ready” she promised him as they broke off the handshake without further words, he turned to leave exiting the office carefully closing the door behind him. “First shot at doing something in a month I’ll take it.”
“Against the Clan” Storm said looking up at her from his chair “will not sit well with all our people.”
“It is part of the job Eric” she said formally reminding him of who was in charge “the Khan said as much we need to accept that some of our people may die to forward the goals of our Clan.” She said meaning that warriors on both sides could die. “Ensure the beacon is safely buried.”
“It was last week” he said seeing her look “I’ll have Recon take their run through the area tonight make sure nothing is disturbed.”
“Thank you” she said finally sitting back down “finally a mission.”
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Objective raid
Unnamed world, Periphery
21st June 3099
Things were going just how Anna Devalis had expected two of her Mechs were down possibly destroyed fighting the Nova Cat defences on this unnamed rock it wasn’t a particularly nice planet with heavy rain and a thin atmosphere. Three of Michel Arnauld’s Mechs had also been destroyed with two of the warriors confirmed killed in action but they were holding the line. “Cut to the right, bring down that Clint IIC!” She called out making her two remaining lancemates combine fire on the Clint with herself to bring down the forty-ton BattleMech. Pulse lasers, autocannons and missiles tore into the Clint IIC ending its fight rapidly. From the otherside she saw Michel Arnauld’s Thanatos BattleMech step closer to an enemy Shadow Hawk IIC the Duke was pouring missiles and lasers into the smaller BattleMech as he closed on it the warrior stood up to the fire returning fire with short range missiles of its own but could not stop the heavy Mech as the Duke slammed its left arm through the cockpit without its pilot the Mech crumpled, another Nova Cat had died. “They are withdrawing Duke Arnauld” she transmitted hoping to end the battle now as her Marauder C traded fire with a retreating Nova Cat Matador, probably the only example of the Steel Viper BattleMech in their touman, the ugly boxy BattleMech took her autocannon shells high in the chest before returning fire with a small cluster of long range missiles as it retreated the missiles flew over her Marauder C landing on the black rocks behind her. “I have fought these people before, push them and they will hunt us down. We’ve done what we wanted and we hold the battlefield I would suggest we take what we have won and leave.”
“Negative, we must push them further.” He said stepping forwards putting a long range laser shot into the enemy Matador that she’d targeted hitting the sixty ton Mech on the left arm. “Constant push forwards!” He said firing again as soon as the weapon was recharged this time he missed his mark and noticed that the Devalis’ Devils had stopped moving.
“Captain, you said you would support this raid, I am this raid’s commander and I am calling for you to push forwards.”
“Negative, you are this contracts owner. Your lance was here as a liaison force and one that would ensure we completed the mission. Your mission criteria stated you wished to raid Nova Cat territory not claim their real-estate for your own.” She responded as the Duke targeted the Matador again this time the Mech sidestepped his fire jumping closer it retaliated with missiles and a laser of its own causing damage to the Duke’s Mech with one missile slamming into the top of the Thanatos armoured head. From her Marauder C she could imagine the Duke being thrown about the cockpit of his Mech from the impact a few feet above his own head. Anna switched to her company’s channel “all units hold fire” she commanded them stepping forwards she raised her Marauder C’s arms and fired both pulse lasers into the enemy Mech both cut down the Matador’s right leg buckling one of the actuators there which forced the sixty ton Mech into retreat now with a new limp. “Duke Arnauld are you ok?”
''
“Yes, I’m fine, you crippled him we can kill him!” He said stepping forwards again this time Anna made her own move cutting over his line of sight. “What are you doing! I could have shot you in the back!”''
“I had confidence you were skilled enough to stop doing that.” She replied firing again at the Matador with the Duke’s view blocked she intentionally missed her target but knew that he would see the heat rise in her Mech, one thing she did plan to do was replace the Mech’s heat sinks with upgraded ones the Marauder C was a refit of an Inner Sphere design but she wanted more out of it.
“Very good, we’ve taught them a lesson” Arnauld replied “I’ll retain your contract after this raid we can do more together Devalis, mark my words.” Sitting listening to his words Anna Devalis felt a little sick her unit had killed Nova Cat warriors today and all because an Inner Sphere Duke wanted a little revenge and a little personal glory.
“Affirmative Duke Arnauld, I’m sure we could.” She replied switching over to the join frequency “Devils we’ve taught these Clansmen a lesson today, our Duke has decided enough is enough. Maintain security positions while recovery and salvage operations are conducted.” She said shutting down the communication frequency “DAMNED STAVAGS!” She cursed in her cockpit angrily, she’d made the Duke sound like he’d had enough she knew he didn’t, she’d make sure the transmitter they put on Molino was very well hidden.
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