WotH Chpt 1

==War on the Horizon - Chapter 1 -==
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===Trippy Visions===
Tybalt Zenith point, June 8, 3007
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"All hands, we are ready for the jump!"
 
"Here we go again," I muttered to Sheppard. "I've always hated this part of traveling through the Inner Sphere."
 
"I don't know why you hate the transition so much," he chuckled. "I certainly don't feel anything."
 
"I might have some form of TDS," I shrugged. "Because I get really trippy visions sometimes during the couple of seconds it takes to jump."
 
"That is sort of strange," Sheppard agreed. "But we've fought together long enough that I can ignore the craziness that happens just by being around you."
 
"Oh, have you now?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'll have you know that there is no such thing as being able to ignore the craziness."
 
"I'm just hoping that the Overlords we pieced together are able to make the trip." Paige chimed in as she floated into the compartment. "We've got enough salvage from Tybalt to make ends meet, but I'm concerned about vetting and finding our new recruits."
 
"We'll make it work," The dropship shook a bit as it connected to the Jumpship's collars. "The First Prince is footing the bill for the repairs after all."
 
"Yeah," Paige frowned. "I'm still not happy that we didn't manage to get all of the salvage from the Big Mac."
 
"We have what we can use," I floated over to a chair and began strapping in. "Anything more than that would have come at a cost."
 
The chair vibrated underneath me, as I clenched my fists together and closed my eyes.
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Flashes of light across an open field as troops in white armor exchange fire with something out of sight. A cloaked figure fighting off a group of black and gold painted soldiers, a tank blazing as a mech stomped past it, shaking the ground with every single step.
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"Colonel Hull, you might want to get up here to the bridge." Jewel said.
 
"On my way," I unstrapped and pushed off toward the hallway.
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===Misjump===
30 BBY, Beloria system, Seswenna Sector, Outer Rim Territories
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"Any idea where we are?" I asked as we looked at the scans of the system.
 
"Not a clue," Jewel shook her head. "None of the stars make any sense to our navigators either, but that's normal for any misjump."
 
"Any signals we can pick up on?" I asked.
 
"There are a few. But they're not in any language that we recognize," the Comms officer replied. "I'm going to try and see if there's any way to understand or transmit using computer code or numbers."
 
"I'll pretend I understood what you just said," I laughed. "If it helps us out then by all means do so."
 
"Sir, it looks like there's some sort of fight going on down there," The sensors officer reported. "I started scanning and acquiring what data we could as soon as we jumped and they're just now coming back with what it looks like is happening down on the habitable world."
 
"Let me take a look," I said as I accepted the noteputer and began to navigate through the data. "Looks like some sort of forest fire, we're too far away to get a clear enough picture of it," I sighed. "Detach the Stings and the Leopards." I ordered. "I'm taking some volunteers and we're going to see what's going on down there and if we can get an idea of where we're at."
 
"Copy that, sir, you should probably get ready to transfer over though, it'll take some time to shift things around."
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===Recon===
Four days later...
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"Looks like they might be pirates, sir," Commander James Malcolm reported. "We're seeing some of the typical pirate activity, but that's just based on the initial scans."
 
"Intel satellites deployed?" I asked.
 
"The Sting released them earlier," Commander Malcolm nodded. "The telemetry from them is what we're using to base our assumptions on."
 
"Alright then," I sighed. "We go in and rescue the locals from the assumed pirates. Maybe they'll have an idea of what the surrounding area looks like. I'd like to return to the known space if possible."
 
"Aye, sir." Commander Malcolm responded before turning to his bridge crew. "Get ready for a hot drop!"
 
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The Leopard shuddered around me as it dropped through the atmosphere, the fusion drives flaring to slow us down. 
"Alright, we need to keep an eye on our lines of fire," Peterson briefed. "We don't know who's friendly or not down there, and from what little we could see from orbit there appear to be pirates attacking civilians. And not a lot of resistance from the civvies. Our job is to eliminate pirates and secure this world from any more pirate attacks."
 
"Are we doing this one Pro Bono, sir?" A noncom asked.
 
"Think of it as a sample of our services," Peterson grinned. "Once they understand how valuable we are we're going to probably get paid steadily until we're able to find our way home."
 
"Whatever you say, Boss," the noncom shrugged. "I'm here for the long haul."
 
"Just remember to keep track of what you're shooting at and what is behind it," Peterson reminded them. "We're not sure what the buildings will be made of and we don't want to kill anyone who is not a pirate."
 
"Wilco," the teams responded as the dropships eased down and opened the ramps to allow dismount.
 
"You know your jobs," Peterson stated. "I'll stay out of your way."
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===March through the Woods===
My Warhammer stomped through the trees, the massive boughs snapping as the machine shoved them aside while the Mithril clung to the shoulders of the mech.
"We've got what looks like temporary shelters and ships parked over through the forest," I called out as I flipped through the different vision modes available to me. "Archers should keep clear and be ready for indirect fire. "Crabs and Toros be ready for quick-fire if necessary. Peterson, I want you and your infantry to be ready to move in and clear everything out once we have the shock and awe part done."
 
"Copy that," Peterson replied as he and the other infantry jumped off of my mech. "We'll go ghost through the trees and be ready when everything pops off."
 
"Magscan can't identify the material the ships are made up of," I said as I cycled through the various settings on the Warhammer's computer. "I'm also not registering any tanks or other AFVs or IFVs. Whatever air cover they have looks to be on the ground."
 
"I'll split off teams to go ahead and seize the ships and fighters," Peterson replied. 
 
"Copy that, Colonel," Peterson responded. "We're setting things up now. I'll contact you once we're in position."
 
"See you on the flip side, Captain," I replied as I nudged the Warhammer up to cruising speed and began moving as fast as I safely could through the trees. "Hull, out."
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Chapter 1