WCGW Chpt 116

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==Chapter 116 - What Could Go Wrong==
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1 February 3043
Delos IV (Federated Commonwealth)
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Right after the SaRI fleet had arrived on 29 January that the Delos system locked down to all incoming Jumpship traffic. The customs people had even forced those independent Jumpships to depart the system. The only answer they had gotten when they asked was "by order of the First Prince". The incoming emergence wave put everyone on alert as single Monolith Jumpship materialized along with two distant Jumpships that they could not identify. While the two unidentified Jumpships carried no Dropships, the Monolith Jumpship carried pair of Overlord, three Leopard CV, two Intruder, one Mule and an Avenger Assault Dropship. The Monolith Class Jumpship made a simple call.
<<"SaRI Express, this is the FSS Star Rider. Where would you like to meet?">>
"FSS Star Rider, how about aboard SaRI Express. We have relevant information onboard." Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Campbell replied
<<"Roger, expect two shuttles within three hours. FSS Star Rider out.">>
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Just over three hours later, both shuttles were onboard and the gathered officers were on the ships cleared grav deck. Simple greetings were exchanged and everyone was seated at the mess tables. Colonel David Mitchell handled the quick briefing.
"My name is Colonel David Mitchell, commander of Search and Recovery Inc. We will be making our journey along a route of uninhabited systems to avoid any possible discovery. It is 11 jumps from where we are and our target, the Wohka system. Opposition is reported as 2 Battlemech Battalions, Aerospace Wing, Armor Battalion and an Infantry Battalion. The system is reported to have a functional Olympus Recharge Station, with functioning dry docks. We have been told that this particular pirate group also have an outpost in a nearby system, but we do not know which one yet. 
The systems jump points are a little over 2 days away from the planet itself. We have been told that this pirate band also operates multiple Jumpships so we have to be on the lookout for any trying to escape." Colonel Mitchell paused when a hand went up.
"Rear Admiral Robert Vickery, we have orders to prevent that very problem. I will have one of my ships at the Nadir Jump Point and the other at the Zenith Jump Point."
"Your ships do not even carry Dropships, Admiral Vickery, how do you propose to stop them?" Colonel Mitchell asked
"We are more than capable of handling a standard, Jumpship Colonel." Rear Admiral Vickery replied
Colonel Mitchell could detect the dodge in the Rear Admirals answer and decided to trust him "Very well. My unit is composed of a Battlemech Battalion, Armor Battalion, Infantry Battalion and oversized Aerospace Wing. What exactly has the First Prince sent to help?"
"Colonel Bradley Andrews, The Arcadians. One Battlemech Regiment. Two Battalions are onboard the loaned Overlords and my third Battalion is on my Mule Cargo Dropship."
"Commodore Sam Henderson, 183rd Independent Aerowing."
"Major Othela Evans, 1721st Marine Battalion. Loaded on the two Intruder Assault Dropships."
"Rear Admiral Robert Vickery, commander 1st Corvette Squadron with two Vigilant Class Corvettes and the Avenger Assault Dropship."
This simple statement brought the room to silence as the same thought went thru everyone's mind "Warships, where the hell did First Prince Hanse Davion get two warships?"
Rear Admiral Vickery smiled at the sudden silence "Told you we could handle any Jumpships."
Colonel Mitchell cleared his throat before speaking "I think the assembled force should be able to handle the pirates we might encounter at our target. Rear Admiral Vickery, your senior, I assume you are in command of the mission?"
"I can take command of the fleet, but ground stuff is way beyond my experience." Rear Admiral Vickery replied
Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Davion stood up "Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Davion, Liaison Officer with SaRI. Colonel Andrews, what is your experience?"
"Commanded the 2nd New Ivaarsen Chasseurs for three years before retiring." Colonel Bradley Andrews replied
"Your the more experienced ground commander. You will command the ground assault." Lieutenant Colonel Davion said
Colonel Mitchell and Colonel Andrews shared a look between them, it simply said "Not my idea." Colonel Mitchell let it slide "Very well, Colonel Andrews, you have the ground command. At your leisure, we should discuss what we plan to do. Lieutenant Colonel Campbell will make sure you have our jump route and all coordinates before you depart."
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An hour later, Colonel Bradley Andrews was brought aboard Intrusive, Intruder Assault Dropship, the most secure ship in the SaRI fleet. Colonel Mitchell met him on board. "Colonel Andrews, please follow me sir." As he led the way to what was normally an exercise room but had been converted to a large conference room. He gestured to one of the chairs. "Please, have a seat."
"Colonel Mitchell, you obviously have a good lay of the land on where we are going and what we are facing, what the hell was that all about down there?" Colonel Andrews said
"Me and Davion have history. He was my Battalion Commander, got himself injured trying to take on a Combine Mech force in a straight up fight. We are Infantry. I took over the Battalion. He resents it, I guess. Besides, he is correct, you have way more experience at this sort of fighting. I have an excellent staff, great troops, but I have never commanded this size force in battle." Colonel Mitchell replied
"I do not want hard feelings. I think we need to get this out of the way. We are both mercs, we were given full salvage rights, how do we divide the salvage?" Colonel Andrews said
"How about we worry about that after we beat them. My unit is pretty well equipped, so I have no problems letting you have first dibs on the pirates stuff." Colonel Mitchell said
"Generous of you. We will let the Admiral handle the space stuff. We get on the ground, locate the pirates and beat the crap out of them. I assume your Aero can get us on the ground?" Colonel Andrews said
"I am sure of it. All of my troops are former AFFS and quite experienced. I suggest we make orbit and spend some time getting a feel for where they are. Save us some time." Colonel Mitchell replied
"Then let's hammer out some sort of rough strategy, since neither of us has worked together before." Colonel Andrews said, and they got down to work.
On the Faithful, Union Class Dropship, Chief Warrant Officer Penelope Rodgers and Professor Hiram Igram oversaw the refit of the first WLF-1B Wolfhound, calling it a WLF-2. They were installing ten double heat sinks and replacing the Large Laser with a recovered ER Large laser. It was considered by Professor Igram as the easiest refit possible to complete in his given time frame. The first was always the hardest to accomplish.
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