WCGW Chpt 59

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==Chapter 59 - What Could Go Wrong==
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18 November 3041
Joshua (Former Outworld System)
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After telling Captain Gweneth Rolando about their engagement with the 2 Inseki II conventional fighters, Commodore Franklin Noble had not expected the butt chewing that Captain Rolando gave them. Though he outranked her, Leftenant Colonel Mitchell had left her in command of the operation. 
"So your telling me that two fighters launched when they spotted you circling their location on the ground. You attempted no communication with them, and then to add a little insult, what if that first shot was just a warning shot? Some local militia, way out here on a lost world, radios could be screwed due to lack of parts. Yet, you go and hang your fangs out so get your kills. And before you get all flustered, my brother was an Aero jock, just like you and he got himself killed thinking he was the best there is and instead of breaking off kept boring in for his kill, never saw the Drac that got him. Got told that by his Squadron Commander at his funeral. You did not think about any of that did you?" Captain Gweneth Rolando said
"No, Ma'am. You also did not let me finish. We over flew where they came from, fast and low. If we had camera's, you would see what we saw. Their pirate scum, no doubt about it. Clear Dropship markings on the ground. Off to one side, we thought was a livestock pen, it is full of people. My guess, slavers." Commodore Noble replied
"That does not excuse the crap you did. Your flyby could have resulted in all those people's deaths. The last thing a slaver wants is for someone to hear from their captives the terrible crap they have endured. Get your birds refueled, your on ground alert." She turned and yelled "Bravo Company, gear up, full combat loads!!"
Spotting Master Sergeant Croyle she said "Croyle, your people have the guard here at the depot and Dropships. You get to earn the first part of your titles, the combat part. Full combat gear, full loads."
She half ran off to get herself geared up while thinking things in her mind. Four hours to get there at full speed, hour to scout the place minimum. Four tracked APC's, not much firepower there. Wait, we have been playing with a few of those fancy carriers. She yelled "Sergeant Davis!!!"
A head popped out of the Intruder in her direction. "Yes, Captain Rolando?"
"You folks that have been playing with those recovered infantry tanks, can you handle them for real?" Captain Rolando asked
"The Turhans? Hell, yes we can. We can hit what we aim at, if fairly close. About 40% at max range with those large lasers." Sergeant Nathan Davis replied
"Get geared up and join the boys. We are taking the Turhands or whatever they are called instead of the APC's. They do the same job anyway with more firepower." Captain Rolando ordered
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19 November, 3041
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It was dark as dark can get when they got close to the town. It had taken almost 6 hours due to detours forced on them by their vehicles being wheeled and not tracked. After arriving near the coordinates given by Commodore Noble, she had sent scouts out, veteran scouts who had done this for real against the Combine. In her opinion, they were professional scalp hunters, some of the best she had ever seen. Equipped with IR Goggles with extra batteries, they would tell her what she needed to know. An hour before the local sun rise, Sergeant Tabitha Raines, the scout squad leader returned.
"Four guards on the prisoner pen, one each corner, but they are watching inward. A dozen more posted around the edges of the town, if that is what you want to call it. Looks more like an old airfield. Anyway, them guards are real skittish too, very nervous. We watched a guard change occur, bad for us as they are fresh, but we know where they came from and where the off duty folks went. Only eight buildings down there. Five obvious houses, one big building, probably a hanger, but doors are open, we can see inside and it's empty. One either a control tower or watch tower, cannot tell. Another big building, almost center, probably acting as their barracks. No telling how many inside. Could be two platoons or a full company, if we watch all day, we will know more. That is your call, Sir." Sergeant Raines reported
"We get into position, I have been with you several years and I know you have already located assault positions. We will hit them just like we did that Drac forward operating base on Breed. We will run our tracks right at them, when they move to fend them off, we hit them from the flank." Captain Rolando said
"Very well sir. When we get close, I will have a few of my people fall back and lead your platoons into their selected positions. If we move fast, I should be able to get my team to the other side close enough to the prisoners to take out the guards. Fifteen minute quick march." Sergeant Raines replied
She turned and in a loud whisper "Gear up, we got to get moving. Sergeant Davis, you have command of the APCs. Remember when Captain Mitchell had us attack that Drac forward base? Good, same deal, when dawn breaks, you take all four right to the edge of town fast as you can. We will hit them in the flank good and hard." Captain Rolando said
As dawn broke, Bravo Company was in position. Captain Rolando squeezed the radio button three times. She could hear the APC's gun their engines and in no time at all they came around the ridge and trees. Those in the town below heard them too and armed people began flowing from several buildings. The advancing APCs began taking rifle fire, but nothing heavier. In return the advancing Turhans opened up with their forward machine guns. Several of the pirate fell and right as Captain Rolando gave the order to hit the pirates, two objects appeared on a ridge almost a kilometer away and began closing fast. Radio silence was gone now "Firestarters!!!" Came the voice of Sergeant Raines, much closer to them than anyone.
"Davis, 'Mechs on your right, Firestarters, I hope to hell you can take them down!!!" Captain Rolando radioed
Inside the lead Turhan, Sergeant Davis cussed up a storm and popped his head out of the hatch to get eyes on them. Spotting them he slewed the turret and when the gunner called out "Got them" he said "Fire".
Two Large Laser bolts barely missed the rapidly closing Firestarter. Sergeant Davis knew a long-range fight was going to be risky. "Everyone bum rush them, aim at the lead Firestarter." His driver pressed the gas pedal and the Turhan started towards the incoming Mechs followed by the other three Turhans. Like a huge game of chicken, both the Mechs and the Turhans moved towards each other head on. The lead Firestarter had just hit Davis' Turhan with a medium laser when one of Davis' Large Lasers struck home followed by 4 other shots from the other three Turhans. The Firestarter MechWarrior lost his balance from the massive amount of armor loss at once and slammed into the ground barely 100 meters from one of the Turhans, whose driver kept advancing until their turret was aimed right at the cockpit, but they held fire, they could barely see the pilot inside looking back at their twin large lasers aimed at him, he raised his hands in surrender.
The second Firestarter had set one the Turhans on fire but was hit by 4 large lasers at almost point-blank range which chopped a leg out from under it sending it to the ground with a thunderous crash. When no crew emerged from the burning Turhan, Sergeant Davis and the other Turhan fired their large lasers into the cockpit of the second Firestarter in revenge.
Bravo Company slammed into the pirate's flank like a tidal wave and the fight quickly turned into a close-range brawl of confusion in the dim light of dawn. The fight was over in less than ten minutes, with Bravo Company losing 8 KIA (including the Turhan crew) and 18 WIA, while the pirates lost 31 KIA, 17 WIA and 19 prisoners. A quick head count of the rescued prisoners was 92 unharmed, 3 killed and 9 wounded when one of the guards managed to burn a clip into the massed prisoners at close range.
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