IBC Chpt 3-1

==Iron Blooded Commander - Chapter 3.1 - No Guts, no Galaxy==
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===View of a Oddball Operation ===
Red BaseOutskirts of Starboro CityZaniah III, Lyran Commonwealth3020
A different perspective.
Alfred Kurtz had been in plenty of battles, he had actually worked in a planetary guard regiment when he was still with the LCAF before he eventually retired. This wasn't his first time defending against a raid. Nor did he expect it to be his last.
thumb|250px|Red Base 
But it was his strangest. 
 
This whole damn operation was oddball. The amount of fuel and ammunition the Company burned through just in training would have given a planetary guard General a coronary. 
 
Yet here for these orphans it was just normal. Everyone could at any time get to the armory, get some ammunition and get to the training yards. 
 
Hell. There were some kids here that had probably shot more rounds down range than Alfred himself had. 
 
Also these kids seemed to love pulling tricks out of their ass. 
 
Rough Squad were a group of little shits. The hard headed ones, the teens that don't like rules, or being told no. So it was no surprise they were becoming annoying little guerrilla fighters. The fact they were supplied with some scary equipment by the Commander only made it worse. 
 
The amount of Inferno missiles the kids carted off in their Technical would be enough to set a world ablaze. For a moment Alfred prayed to God in thanks that there are no trees on this world, at least none he had seen.
 
He really didn't want to deal with a forest fire.
 
When word went out, the kids started deploying. Rough Squad disappeared not long after the Commander's speech. They would be harassing these raiders in their own way.
 
The Defense Unit disappeared. The group of quiet kids had listened to the speech, and for a moment when they heard they could be attacked? Well… Those kids were scarier than he expected. Considering Alfred had seen the stocks of LRM missiles deplete to a ludicrous degree every damn day, and the fact that it was always after the group disappeared, and explosions sounded far in the distance? Well Alfred had his suspicions on what they were up to.
 
Like he said, strange. Everything was strange, but it wasn't a bad strange. Hell, he could have used this sort of strange years ago in the LCAF when the snakes attacked. Instead he had his old General who thought that bayonet charges were inspiring.
 
He offered a second prayer in thanks to God for not dealing with that sort of crazy anymore. No he much preferred this new sort of crazy. 
 
"Ah, Sergeant. Good. I've been looking for you." Hauptmann Rommel jogged up, although it was still common among the orphans to just call him Benny. 
 
"Hauptmann." 
 
"We want you in the command post here on base while this is happening. The Commander's exact words were, 'You're going to be looking over our shoulder and pointing out any stupud mistakes.' So. We want you there, getting set up." The Hauptmann looked annoyed at having to relay these orders.
 
Alfred could understand. Benny was the sort that thought they knew it all. The thing was his type tended to know enough that they could get arrogant, but not enough to realize that arrogance was killer. Alfred had no issues offering his advice.
 
"Understood. I'll head up presently." They saluted and headed out. Hauptmann Rommel heading towards his Centurion, nine hours were up, and it was getting close to when they would find out where the raiding force was going to drop.
 
Alfred checked his service pistol. The same gun he had was issued in the army. The same gun that had saved his ass more than once. 
 
"Once more."
 
He whispered thinking back to the speech the little Commander had given just a few hours ago. He hoped it kept everyone on point. Discipline and not getting distracted would be the main things keeping the kids alive. 
 
Or killing them.
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===Standing Orders===
StarportPerspective shifts
Colonel Herb Enders had been in charge of the 10th Skye Rangers for almost a decade now. He worked hard, fought hard, commanded hard.
 
It was why he hated being stuck on this dustball planet. 
 
The 10th had been torn up after their raid on Shiloh. The running battle they had been forced into in an effort to extract the shuksam crystals that grew on the planet. Snoord, who had asked for the help in the first place, had been sure the crystal would be useful. It was. They had more than made up for the battle, but even now a few years after the raid the 10th were recovering. They had taken a beating, and despite their best efforts some of their 'mechs were still mauled. Replacement parts, either still on the waiting list, or just not coming, although that should finally be clearing up soon. After they re-armed he might finally get off this rock.
 
Still, Colonel Enders would do his duty to Duke Lestrade. The orders had been very firm. The only important defensive objective on Zaniah III was the spaceport. The factories could easily be sacrificed as long as the spaceport stood.
 
So he had done so. Keeping the spaceport from taking any damage in the years he had guarded it. Not a single raid, pirate or League had made it to the spaceports walls.
 
The Governess hated him for it though.
 
The factories were civilian infrastructure, and their damage really only hurt her wealth. So her demands for more and better protection for her factories came often, and came furiously.
 
They were all ignored.
 
Not the 10th's problem.
 
So then the Governess had hired a merc company.
 
A small one. When the report hit his desk that he was sharing the planet with a demi-lance company. He had scoffed. What were they going to do? It had only grown worse from that. They were all kids. Teens playing at war. 
 
When they started trying to contact the 10th through civilian frequencies he put it down to incompetence. Children not understanding that you don't speak about anything over unsecured coms. 
 
It had taken almost a month for him to get what was really happening. The Governess was playing games. She had sent an order to him one that he couldn't ignore like her request to protect her factories. 
 
Don't talk to her Mercenaries. 
 
That was that. The Mercs were on their own. It was why he was so surprised that once the Union was spotted, confirmed to be League affiliated, that it was only a few hours after that he had his first conversation with Commander Eisen-Blume, of the Iron Blooded Orphans.
 
Yeah the fact she introduced her company that way had been confusing until he had actually asked the 10th's own liaison with the planetary guard.
 
Turns out they weren't just kids. They were orphans. Every one of them. 
 
Strange.
 
But not unheard of here in this age of war. The fact their leader was so young, was an oddity though.
 
That he learned she had actually expanded to a full Lance, and of mostly mediums at that? He had to admit while reading that he had been impressed. Considering what was coming for her, and her people? He hoped it was enough. Hoped she had enough sense to survive.
 
Because the raids that came to Zaniah III were usually fairly bloody.
 
"Good Luck, Commander." Were the words he left her with after they confirmed the 10ths plans to not leave the Starport. She was on her own.
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===Building One's Resolve===
I had managed to sneak in a small nap after the initial flurry of activity had winded down. I needed one after my big speech. It had been so embarrassing, standing in front of everyone. Talking as if I was actually competent, as if I had any idea what I was doing. I was just a fraud.
 
My descent into a pity party lasted through my nap. I had just taken a long shower. The warm water dripping down my short hair as I stared into a mirror. I had known this day was coming. The Inner Sphere was simply not a safe place. No matter where you were, men wanted to take what you had. 
 
I had been prepared. I was sure of it. I had done so much. Sure I made mistakes. Now that it was coming, and time was up the ideas kept hitting me. "Mines" I said aloud. Shaking my head. I had spent most of the shower cursing myself for a forgetful fool. 
 
There was always something more, something I could do, or create, or prepare. But in the end, time was always the one resource I couldn't cheat. 
 
My hands were shaking. 
 
I had been staring into the mirror for too long, but I couldn't get myself to calm down. All the kids looked to me. To keep them alive. Alive in the face of an enemy, that would kill them without mercy.
 
"Hey."
 
The voice startled me from my cycle of staring as I blinked. "Sasha." 
 
"Vicky. You doing okay?"
 
I exhaled. "Yeah."
 
"Liar." She moved up and before I could move dropped a towel on my head and began scrubbing my head. "Better get you ready. After the big speech you gave everyone is ready, even the kids that were afraid are more excited now."
 
"I'm terrified. I'm gonna get them killed." I told her.
 
"Some of them." She offered and I startled under her hands whipping towards her. "There is a reason I didn't want my brothers to join up, Vicky. No Mercenary company, no army, has ever stood without some casualties. It's gonna happen. Here. Today most likely. Some of them won't come back to the barracks tonight." 
 
I pulled the towel from my hair to turn to her. The older woman sighed. "But that is life. You convinced me you know. At first I was sure you were some noble kid playing at being an orphan, planning to use us to launch yourself back up to nobility, or maybe some disinherited noble trying to build an army to take back your title. But you aren't. You're just an orphan like the rest of us, trying to find a path forward. You created a path that we are following. Not all of us will make it to the end, but I have to admit Vicky. I really want to see it. Where this path eventually ends." 
 
She dumped the towel over my head once more and scrubbed down until my hair was staticy and dry. "Get ready. We don't need Vicky who is freaking out right now. We need our Commander, the kid that has done things that mystify every one of us. I'm twice your age Vicky, and you still do things I don't understand. So get up."
 
Well.. what else could I do? I got up.
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===Call to Arms===
I walked past many wide eyes as I headed towards my Locust. I was ready. I was wearing my mechwarrior outfit, which really is just as little as possible, with my Officers jacket over my shoulders as I had taken to wearing it. 
 
The eyes of all the kids followed me. Those that were still around. Nearly half my infantry had disappeared into the dunes hours ago, when I first made a speech. I was the last one to reach the mechs. Gauge was waiting for me at the bottom of the gantry, while Hanna and Benny were already starting up their mechs. 
 
"You look nervous." I tell my friend as I walk past him, his hands wringing together as he turns to follow. 
 
"Of course I'm nervous! Why aren't you?" Gauge asked
 
"I'm the Commander. I can't be nervous. Every eye is on me. If I am freaking out, they will doubly freak out. So I am calm. We've prepared for this. We can do this."
 
"Yeah well. I'm not." Gauge hissed. "We are about to go to war. Oh Blake. Why did I do this? I could be working for ComStar right now. I could be learning the secrets of technology and working my way through as an adept. Imagine me working on the HPG network!"
 
"Yeah, but ComStar wouldn't have given you a mech. So fair is fair." I teased as I stopped just before turning towards the Locust. "You can do this, Gauge. We trained so hard for this. Just imagine how much fun it's going to be to watch those assholes slip in the sand dunes while we shoot them. It'll be great."
 
He blinked at me for a moment before rolling his eyes. "They are trained soldiers. I doubt they will fall over, Vicky."
 
"Well, then we will just have to make them fall over. Make someone else eat sand for once. Mount up Gauge. Time for worries is over. Now it's time for action."
 
"Easy for you to say." He grumbles but heads over to his Centurion.
 
As soon as I mounted up, and the hatch of my Locust closed, I felt my facade fall. "Fuck I am going to screw this up so bad." I moan into my hands before taking a deep breath. No time for this. I pulled my Neurohelm on and switched on the Coms. "Red Lance, report in." I demanded over the radio.
 
"Red 2 active and ready, Red Leader!" Benny answered.
 
"Red 4 Ready." Hanna called out.
 
"Red 3, Powering up, give me more than a second to get in my Mech next time Vicky." Gauge grumbled.
 
"Mechwarriors. This is it. This is the moment that defines your story for the rest of your life. Are you ready? You don't sound ready."
 
"Ready, Commander!" Benny was already making his way out of the mechbay. Climbing up one of the paths to the surface.
 
"Stop trying to hype us up. I'm killing so much raider trash today, just you watch Commander." Hanna as always had to be antagonistic.
 
"Vicky. Let's just get this over with." Gauge moaned.
 
"Alright. Powering up. Red Lance. Let's move out."
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===Whoever survives, whoever succeeds===
A more explosive perspective.
Rough squad was ready. They had set up a few miles from the factories that were the probable target. Each Technical was loaded and ready. Their secret weapon was finally done. Despite how long it took to set up. Each member of Rough Squad took a moment the last time they would all be together. Lenden walked to each of them. Grasping arm, and shoulder looking into their eyes. 
 
"You heard the Commander. Her speech about keeping us all alive was strong and sweet… Ignore it. That's not Rough Squad. We aren't the safe ones. We joined together today and every day in the future for one purpose. A one in a million chance. The act that turns men into gods."
 
The squad of boys had all agreed to this act one night. Not long before Hanna was chosen as the fourth Mechwarrior. Lenden grew up with each of them. They were his brothers, but all of them knew they had no future in a normal life. They were all destined to be grunts. Too stupid. Too hot headed. Too quick to pick a fight, or argue.
 
It had started as an innocuous question. "How far would you go?"
 
They all had known what the question was about. It was what had created Rough Squad. A pact between boys becoming men. 
 
The Commander didn't know. If she did, they all knew that she would pull them back. Vicky had always been kind, wanting the best for all of them, but Rough Squad understood. As orphans, the only path forward for them would be through risk. 
 
"Brothers. If we don't see any of each other again. Know that I am proud to fight at your side. There are no better men to die with." Lendens speech was nothing like Vicky's. Hers had been full of hope, and warning. An order that Lenden had no intention of listening to. 
 
The boys stood to face each other around their central shrine, each of them carrying a chip in their right hand that they held up in front of them. It was their lifeline. They had spent weeks preparing them thanks to one of the Mechtechs, being willing to help out. Then each put their left hand forward onto their shrine. The one thing that made all of this possible. 
 
"Whoever survives, whoever succeeds, know that the rest of us will be with you, always."
 
Their hands rested on their shrine, each of them imagining wearing it.
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===It's Showtime===
"Commander, we have confirmation of the drop trajectory. Sending it to you now." The voice of Leutnant Connor came over the radio startling me out of my daze.
 
I glanced at the data sent over and whispered a soft thank you, they weren't landing near our base. 
 
It looks like they were either not taking us seriously, as a threat or they were intending to make this a fast raid. Either way the base was safe.
 
"Do we have a guess at what they're aiming for?"
 
<<"Yes. Twenty klicks from their landing position is the ZanTek ground vehicle facility. We believe that to be the primary target. We are asking you for reinforcements on the factory, and confirmation there aren't any secondary targets.">>
 
"Understood. Red Lance will move to defend. Sending the request for scouting to my control. Eisen-Blume out." I closed the com before sending out a few orders to the men back at the base. Thankfully, Marcus was already doing his job of keeping an eye out and little did the planetary defense know, I had all the scouting ability we would ever need. 
 
As the orders went out to each unit and squad of where the attack would be coming from, Red Lance moved. The steady tromping of my Lance dulled behind me as I raced ahead. Everyone was more than experienced enough on the shifting Zaniah terrain to no longer worry so much about falling anymore. 
 
Not that it didn't still happen, but usually only when they were trying out on the obstacle course. 
 
I left the group far behind me, as I raced. I wanted to make sure they were within my sensor bubble before they landed. Just to make sure there weren't any tricks they wanted to play.
Five minutes later, I slowed as I watched the streak of fire cut across the sky. The union was magnificent as it came down. I saw the sensor system start cataloging everything that was coming down.
 
That was a lot of hardware.
 
As I watched, the battle above me began. The ASFs of the planetary guard made contact with the ASFs the Union had come down with and as I watched explosion after explosion I knew it wasn't looking good. 
 
Whoever these raiders were? They were good. Probably actual FWL veterans, and not just pirates or irregulars.
 
The Union landed without any concern. The two birds it deployed both returned to support from the sky not long after.
 
The birds the defense sent crashing into the dunes far below.
 
"Showtime."
 
I grabbed the list of hardware they landed with and sent it out to my command post. I watched as three Lances of mechs sauntered out of the union only minutes after it had landed and began moving.
I labeled them in my systems as Alpha, Beta, and Charlie lance. Sending the data to Benny to look over. He would know more about each mech than anyone. While I read it over. Feeling very not good about how outgunned we were.
Alpha Lance. A Rifleman, RFL-3N, A Trebuchet, TBT-5N, and TBT-5S, Along with a Locust LCT-1M. A Long Distance Lance? I wondered, Probably meant for fire support, and anti-air in case they didn't have air superiority.
 
Beta Lance. Two Hunchback, HBK-4P The 'swayback'. A Firestarter, FS9-H, and Wolverine, WVR-6M. Cavalry. Tough mediums, with a scary light.
 
Charlie Lance. Two Phoenix Hawk, PXH-1's, an Orion, ON1-K and finally a Awesome, AWS-8Q. The command and Assault Lance.
 
Honestly it was a ludicrous tonnage, 615 tons worth of Battlemech. But that's just how these raids were done. You either go all light in and out, or you carry so much tonnage that the enemy doesn't want to stick their head out.
 
And here I was between them and their target readying to stick my head out. "Alright, Red Lance. Operation begins. I want everyone on their best here. Let's pluck their eyes."
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===Reluctant Allies, Eager Enemy===
Outskirts of the city
While that was beginning Infantrymen were setting up. Over and over, small squads were deployed from the back of Norman trucks, each squad carrying as many SRM launchers as they had men. They would disappear into buildings. Their radio's hooked into land lines to reduce any chance of being heard, and they would prepare, all of it guided by the short blurbs I sent out to command, and was relayed to the infantry.
 
Metal was also moving into place. The Iron Blooded hadn't picked up any tanks yet, but deploying a single Lance of the *special* LRM carriers out of the base would be a hefty stick against the enemy. Although, I didn't take this group out of the Defense Unit. They were very firmly locked into place at the base in case the raiders had a funny idea.
 
No, this was the newer Artillery Unit. 
 
It was a shame I hadn't been able to get an actual artillery piece yet.
 
Next time. I promised myself as I followed all of these movements from my Locust. The Artillery unit of course wasn't alone. It was probably the most defended of any of the units out there. Mostly because of the Lostech involved. The crew of each piece had very firm orders if they should become disabled. 
 
Burn it.
 
I hope it never came to that. But I knew it eventually would. 
 
While that was happening I watched the planetary guard move into position to try and protect the factories. It was mostly tanks, and to my regret not even good ones. Scorpions. And unfortunately for the guard. There weren't even enough of them to really be a threat to anything. Sure, they would probably scrap hard against a light lance. But the raid group was full of monsters.
 
I watched, keeping an eye on things, my commands updated consistently to get everyone where they needed to be once the enemy began moving. It was easy enough to see their path forward.
 
Unfortunately, the planetary guard was out of position. Too many of the allied tanks were clumped up on the entirely wrong sides of the city. Too far south, or too far north.
Seeing the battlelines slowly form, I commed my Liaison. "Get me in contact with whoever is in charge of the Scorpion tank defenses." I waited silently, while the request ran through, watching the mechs move closer and closer. It wouldn't be long now before they will be able to bring their weapons to bear against the tanks. If there aren't enough tanks in place… They would be taken apart piecemeal.
 
(("This is Colonel Vertz. I was told you needed to speak to me, Commander.")) A rather posh german voice came over the line and I was already sending the data through the connection.
 
"Colonel, you should be receiving my sensor data from my field scouts. Your tanks are out of position, the Enemy Lances are about to hit your scattered forces. Pull them back, or group them up here." I sent a waypoint, hoping I was in time.
 
(("You have more up to date data than I do. Very well, Commander. I'm pulling my men back from that point. I won't throw their lives away, Thank you."))
 
I breathed a sigh of relief as the few tanks that were in the path of the Mechs slowly pulled away, giving ground, but at least they might offer more assistance later in the fight.
 
(("Might I ask, Commander to be included in your scout reports."))
 
I hesitated, before nodding. "I'll put you in contact with my Command group. They will keep you apprised. Commander Eisen-Blume out."
 
Well that went… Well.
 
Of course that also meant that the enemy lances weren't even slowed as they pushed towards the city outskirts.
 
Switching frequencies I switched to my lance channel. "Move it, Red Lance. Our timetables have just been moved up."
 
I waited impatiently, as I watched the dots slowly move across the terrain. Although I took note, the tanks seemed to be getting into better positions, now actually aimed and congregated to blunt any charge into the factory district further into the city.
 
When my Lance had caught up to the ambush point. I signaled them to settle in. This ambush point didn't look like much. Some old buildings on the edge of the city. This section had mostly been reclaimed by the desert at this point. And I could only guess why it had been abandoned so utterly, but my guess was probably pretty accurate. 
 
The massive amount of ancient battle damage told me this wasn't the first raid against the factories blunted here.
 
This abandoned section of the city was the closest heavy cover where the enemy was looking to pass into the city. It was just a bit south of their projected path, and thanks to the heavy buildings here it did a great job blocking sight and scanning. Hopefully it would be enough for our surprise.
 
Of course if it wasn't, and they decided to chase? Well. The buildings had plenty of my kids hiding inside. Ready for a surprise attack. I noticed the enemy coming closer and closer, and finally it was time.
 
My lance all lined up. And I sent the targeting data. 
 
One by one. All three Centurions opened fire with their LRM/10. Still well out of sight of the enemy. The missiles shooting up over the buildings we were hiding behind. Not a single inch of our 'mechs could see the enemy, nor could they see us. Just how I liked it.
 
I kept sending them targeting data. Over and over. I updated the data. Making sure every volley would be more likely to hit. Aimed for their lightest mech first. Pluck their eyes. Protect my infantry.
 
It didn't take long. Locusts aren't the toughest mech out there. Four volleys, and I confirmed on my sensor the LRM equipped Locust was offline.
 
I didn't hesitate. A moment later the next target was queued up. Missiles flew.
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===Not a walk in the Park===
The opposite perspective.
For Captain Isabella Nash, this was her chance for glory. Given command of a raiding taskforce, and told to impress. She planned on it. The chance was too good to pass up. Her family had called in more than a few favors to ensure she had more tonnage than this pitiful dustball would be able to handle. 
 
After moving far enough south that it wasn't a straight shot from her Union to the factories she adjusted their course and aimed right at her objective. She knew these dustball militias wouldn't be expecting her this quickly, and certainly wouldn't be expecting them from the 'wrong' direction.
 
She actually laughed a little as one of the hunchbacks in Zaviers lance almost lost his balance as the sand beneath him shifted. This planet was actually pretty rough with it's terrain, but Isabella was a Nash, she was an elite, trained since childhood to smash the enemies of the League. And she was a veteran. She had fought the Wolf's Dragoons during the civil war and lived to tell the tale, although it had taken a few years to get her baby back up and running after. Fucking Marauder II. Bullshit! Assault mechs shouldn't fly!
Pulling her mind from that old memory she moved forward. Her Awesome stomping through the sand and dirt, and she took a moment to curse whoever thought building anything on this world was a good idea. The terrain was bad enough for her more incompetent pilots, but the heat! The heat meant even just firing two of her PPCs had warmed her cockpit up uncomfortably. She would have to be careful not to overheat on this hellhole.
 
<-"Warning LRMs!"-> Came the sudden call over her comm and she kicked her sensor system, it hadn't picked up anything, much less someone close enough to launch LRMS at her!
 
She rolled her shoulder raising her battle first over her cockpit just in case but none of the missiles came anywhere near her. 
 
No, the volley was all focused on fucking, Charles.
 
He tried to run, to move out from whatever it was that was spotting, but it was pointless. Three volleys of what she could count as 30 LRM she guessed? Struck the Locust. As always plenty of missiles didn't hit, but enough did. Charles punched out after the third volley, before any more missiles could take out his cockpit. 
 
The arc of his ejection seat sent everyone in the company into battle mode. "This isn't a walk in the park, people. Keep steady. Find me that scout! I want to know who is spotting for those missiles. Zavier, take your Lance, I want those LRMs flushed out."
 
And so Zavier in his Wolverine turned to their right and started pushing the speed on his mech. His lance following.
 
The rest of the groups continued ever forward.
----
===Coordinating the Action===
With the Locust down, I had our Lance move. I could see their Cavalry Lance, that I dubbed Beta angle towards us, and I was gonna lead them on a deadly chase. 
 
"Are you sure, Vicky? We could stay, city fighting gives us a good advantage here." Benny asked as I ordered them to move out.
 
"No, we have the range advantage. I intend to keep using it. We need to hit them as hard and as often as possible without taking any damage in return. It's the only way we win this."
 
I angled my Lance further into the city, keeping out of sight as the Beta Lance moved towards our last position. Once they started walking into the city it happened again. "Okay here are the coordinates, full volley!"
 
Beta Lance got hit once again from LRMs well outside of their view. Of course I once again targeted the light mech. The Firestarter had more cover here than the Locust. The first volley hit fine, but the second was only a partial according to the sensors. The third volley hit nothing.
 
But that was fine. I started trooping my Lance again right away.
----
===Calling down the Iron Rain===
A different perspective.
 
Elias had never expected to be in this position. Sure back in the day, Benny talked a good game, about how when he joined the army, or a Merc group he would bring them along and lead them to glory.
 
But Elias had never actually expected it. None of them really had. It was just talk then. They all did it, talk. About the great things they were going to do, the feats that they imagined. How important they would become. 
 
It was one of the things the orphans wanted the most. To be important.
 
Wanted.
 
So it came as a shock some days to wake up not on Solaris. Not in the orphanage. And sometimes when he woke up from a nap sitting in a weapon of war, it took him a minute to remember where he was. Or what he was doing.
 
"Commander?" Barry called up to him as Elias wiped away the fog on his mind.
 
"I'm here, Barry, and it's just Corporal. We only have one Commander." He grunted as he focused his eyes once more on the sensor system.
 
The damn Lostech sensor system. That was probably more valuable than a regiment of mechs considering just how powerful it was. And Vicky had enough of them to stuff into LRM Carriers.
 
Madness.
 
Elias knew when he had first been told, sworn to secrecy about the Lostech, he had been sure she was insane. Why would you put something like this into an LRM Carrier and not a mech!? Or if you had to a Command vehicle. Considering he could literally see what was happening over the entire battleground, he watched in real time as the Commander, and the mech lance, ran a FWL raiding party around in circles while softening them up with LRMs.
 
When he asked, and he had asked of course why put them in the carriers. Vicky who he had known for years, the little brat, had just smirked that damnable smirk and told him he would figure it out.
 
He still hadn't figured it out.
 
But that was for later. The order came down. "Commander wants those mechs slowed down. Artillery unit. Slow them down." Sergeant Kurtz ordered out over the line. Elias shrugged. Time to get started then.
 
The Artillery Unit had been training damn near day and night every day for months at this point, at least it felt like it. They weren't quite as crazy as the Defense Unit, but well. 
 
Not many were.
So it didn't take long for the carriers to shift slightly adjusting it's aim, where it was idling on top of an old bridged highway where they had parked. All four carriers wiggled to angle their launchers, and under Elias's command, which he sent with a few presses of a button. Each Carrier targeted the same Mech, and fired one volley. 
 
Two-hundred and forty LRMs launched into the sky, on the other side of the battlefield in the view of enemies that had come here to destroy, the sky darkened. 
 
They were forced to fight in the shade.
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Chapter 3-1