FRS Chpt 13

==Falcon Rising - Chapter 13 -==
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===Triggering the Trap===
Location: September 25th, 3050Parakoila, Federated Commonwealth
"Gamma Trinary, remain powered down, if we are to sell this ruse, then everything must be perfect," The Star Colonel instructed as her Summoner "Theseus" moved through with a star for an escort.
 
"I really hope they take the bait," I tight beamed over to Darya. "Otherwise this could go very wrong, very fast. And we already had to piece the trinary back together."
 
"Aff," she sighed in response. "There is no telling what lies hidden in the depths of those mines. Nevertheless, we must do as we are bid."
 
"I have got everything tied to a hot switch," I leaned back and scratched Gray's chin. "Just waiting for the command to move."
 
It was a story that had happened throughout history, of troops assembled and relocated and then told to wait.
 
I unstrapped and moved back, opening the small refrigerator that was kept in the back and pulling out a sports drink.
 
"Here," I grabbed a small bowl and filled it with some water. "Drink up, girl, it might get a little hot in here soon."
 
Gray wagged her tail as she lapped up the drink, jumping back onto the Jump Seat before barking at me.
 
"I'll strap you back in," I secured her harness and cooling vest before sitting down on the command chair. "Now let's see what we have to do."
 
After I sat back down, explosions erupted in the distance and I nearly reached for my start-up button as a voice came in through my Comms. "Wait one," Darya seemed to have read my mind. "It is not yet time."
 
So I stopped and waited, the sounds continued and my heart pounded in my ears as everything inside of me wanted to join the fight.
 
"Gamma Trinary, power up and move to Nav Point Beta," Darya commanded. "Beta Star, you are on overwatch, do not allow any of them to escape our net."
 
We all powered up and moved over the hill, and could now see the battle before us. Intel had said that there was only a battalion guarding this world. Intelligence was wrong, there were over two battalions of 'mechs, assisted by the odd vehicle and converted technicals mounting one-shot SRMs or LRMs.
And in the middle of the combat, was Star Colonel Marthe Pryde. Her Summoner, Theseus was laying waste to every enemy that crossed her path as her command Trinary fought for survival.
 
Shifting my 'Hammer into motion, I commanded my star to take positions to block the enemy from reaching the mine shafts if they attempted to escape.
 
Darya's Adder moved into the melee, her omnimech configured for close range for once, foregoing the PPCs entirely in favor of a brace of Medium lasers and a few pods devoted to SRMs.
 
Spotting a Blackjack trying to limp away, I twisted my triggers and lined up my twin PPCs on the center torso, the twin beams of Man-made Lightning carving into the weakened armor and setting off the autocannon ammunition that was stored within, the pilot ejecting as his 'mech exploded around him.
"Good kill," James confirmed, his PPCs hammering at a Locust that skirted the edge of the battlefield. "Shall we move in, quiaff?"
 
"Neg," I replied. "We hold here. If we move and they are able to escape into the mineshafts we could be stuck fighting them for weeks, months, or years."
As I spoke, a Grasshopper, Thunderbolt, and Warhammer broke off from their engagements to swing toward the mine entrances.
 
"Point Commander Thastus, I want that Grasshopper intact as salvage, quiaff," I ordered the point of Elementals that was holding onto the bars welded onto my 'mech.
 
"Aff" Eustace, the Elemental replied, him and his comrades waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
 
The Thunderbolt faltered as an autocannon hammered at its knees from behind, revealing Darya Pryde's Adder as it shredded the heavy 'Mech's armor until she stood and pointed a trio of lasers at the cockpit, the heavy 'Mech powering down in surrender.
The five Elementals jumped from my 'mech toward the Grasshopper, two of them being burned out of the sky by medium lasers before the remaining three shifted to the head, dodging the arms of the heavy 'mech as it tried to shake them off.
 
And then there was one, the enemy's 'Hammer was low on armor, but it focused on me to the exclusion of all else, and I was fresh.
 
As my doppelganger drew close, his PPCs splashed against my shoulder and left leg, damaging my armor but sending his heat rocketing up.
 
"Two can play that game," I smirked, squeezing the trigger on one of my PPCs, the beam melting armor off before I staggered my lasers across his 'mech's torso.
 
<<"Why is a goddamned Davion 'mech fighting for the Clans?!">> The enemy roared as his missiles scattered across my armor.
 
"Davion?" I asked, my own missiles tearing away at his 'mech. "Neg, this 'Mech was the property of the Star League Defense Force and was stationed aboard the Confederate-Class dropship Last of Us."
 
As we continued our duel, a tight beam communique pinged my battle computer, the ancient tech responding to the handshake as the original IFF for my 'Mech was displayed on the enemy's computers.
 
<<"So the rumors were true,">> the voice grew angrier. <<"You are the revenge of Kerensky for our sins. Well, if I'm going to hell, I'm taking as many of you down there with me as I can!">>
 
The man's 'Mech burned white hot as he launched a savage alpha strike, and then he vanished from our sensors as if he were a ghost.
 
Thankfully, his shots were scattered across my armor, and the wire overlay only flashed orange in most places, barring my SRM rack that winked out as the openings were sealed shut.
 
"Fuck," I breathed. "Fucking Phantom mech bullshit."
 
I could see the other Warhammer through my cockpit, steam was rising off of it as any moisture in the air boiled away. And then it started moving, its lasers carving away as I tried to close into melee before something hit my gyro, seizing up my 'mech as the enemy moved into the mines behind me.
 
"Star Commander, do we have confirmation that the enemy has been destroyed?" Darya asked as I restarted my gyro, a screeching noise coming as I limped forward.
 
"Neg," I shook my head. "The enemy disappeared from all sensors after we began engaging. I believe he managed to escape into the mines."
 
"This failure is noted, but not disastrous." The Star Colonel's voice cut into our comms. "We have eradicated much of the enemy forces, and as such may now move our garrison forces on site while we prepare for the next wave."
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*; Author's Note : Not much to change for this chapter. More some minor tweaks and changing tone in a few places to match that of the rewrites.
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