IBC Chpt 8-1

==Iron Blooded Commander - Chapter 8.1 -Yo Ho Yo Ho A pirate's life.==
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===On the Hunt in a desolate system===
Jump PointGniezno System, Lyran Commonwealth Space3021
The shudder back into realspace sent a shiver down my spine. That had been unpleasant, fighting off the taste of purple on my tongue. I continued my preparations. This was a rush job. It really was. I knew that, and I realized it might be stupid to jump into this, but sometimes a job fell into your lap that was too good to be true.
 
Like a pirate base on a previously assumed deserted world. A pirate base that had its own DropShips. And maybe a JumpShip as well somewhere. That would be trickier to get though, if it was even possible. But if we could capture everything here on the planet, well I would have all the excuses I would ever need as to why I suddenly had equipment.
 
So I had accepted the deal, readied my Lance of mechs and other units, and started prepping. Before we left Vindemiatrix I had filled a few trucks with equipment that I felt we might need. Most of it was just an excuse to be able to create anything I needed during this fight.
 
And it was likely going to be a nasty one.
 
"Commander Eisen-Blume. We have confirmation of heat signatures on Gniezno II that's our pirates." Captain Michaels of the Faint Gray, the Union Class Dropship we were taking to this abandoned world let me know. Unlike myself, he seemed completely unbothered by the recent jump.
 
Not really a surprise. "Good. I wasn't that worried the intel was wrong, but it's always good for confirmation. How long until we land?"
 
"Should take around ten days to reach the planet." The captain replied.
 
"Okay. Any enemy contacts in system, they do apparently have a JumpShip."
 
"None so far, but we won't know if they even noticed our appearance for another few days."
 
"Thank you, Captain." I turned from the bridge where I had been invited to stay in during the jump before heading down the curving halls of the Union.
 
"Commander?" Benny asked, sticking his head out of the room we had been using as I passed by.
 
"Confirmation that something is here, no JumpShip so far. Let everyone recover, unlikely we will run into any trouble out here… And if we did we would be relying on the ASF and defenses of the union anyways, not like we can mobilize in space."
 
"Understood. I'll go make sure everyone is okay after the jump, you okay?"
 
"Just an odd taste in my mouth this time, I'll be fine… Until we hit atmo. Then I'll be puking my guts." I grumbled as I passed him by, ignoring his teasing smirk as I continued down into the Union.
 
I paused at the infirmary. "He gonna live?"
 
The medic in charge of our health during this operation turned away from where he was checking some charts. "Oh the Colonel will be right as rain in a few days. He was unconscious for the jump to limit any trouble."
 
"Good to hear. When he wakes up, tell him we have confirmation on activity on the planet."
 
"Will do, Commander."
 
I continued my rounds down into the belly, our mech bay was active as usual. Lenden and Erica were both a bit tense with the battle ahead, although unless you knew him you couldn't tell with Lendens actions.
 
"Alright keep it up, let's do this!" He growled, knife in hand as he stared into the eyes of a older man, the grunt facing across from him also had a knife in hand. Both started slowly stabbing the knife into the table between their fingers. Playing an age old game of chicken. The crowd around them shouting encouragement.
 
"If you cut your fingers off you won't be able to pilot." I interrupted before the speed could really pick up causing an abrupt stop as the boy leapt to his feet, while the man simply stopped stabbing.
 
"Commander!" Lenden saluted something he had gotten into the habit of doing before his posture loosened. "So are they here, Vicky?"
 
"That's Commander to an idiot who is trying to injure himself days before an important op." I say as I reach over and grab the knife from his palm examining the damage from being stabbed into a metal table over and over again. Not much, since it was a copy of a SLDF Vibroblade, thankfully he hadn't turned it on while playing his game. "I don't remember issuing these as a toy." I tell him and receiving a scowl in return.
 
"C'mon, Vicky, no need to act like that I was just hanging out. It's good practice!"
 
"Good at teaching you how to lose a finger, sure." I poke him in the chest. "You need to be fighting fit in a few days, our operation relies on my Mechwarriors being ready. Why even take the risk when it gains you nothing, and can only cost all of us if you fail?"
 
He winced at that, I could tell if nothing else, pointing out that he had a responsibility to not injure himself had struck home. Through gritted teeth I finally got a response, "Sorry, Commander. Won't happen again." I nod, handing the blade back, but we both stilled when the older grunt was snickering.
 
"You finding something funny?" Lenden asked, and I could tell I was about to break up a fight.
 
"Nah, kid, nothing, nothing at all." He offered although the smile on his face meant he was lying through his teeth.
 
"Good then private in that case, get out of my mechbay." I ordered, trying to head off the problem.
 
"Yeah sure, 'Commander', let's go, boys, ain't nothing interesting here." The older man huffed as he stood and his little coterie sauntered out.
 
"Vicky, I... Sorry." He muttered softly.
 
I just shook my head and nudged his shoulder "I need you in one piece. Can't kill pirates without my heavy hitter."
 
"Roger that, Commander. I won't let you down again."
 
"I keep getting told that, but I haven't been let down in the first place. C'mon, we got confirmation that something is on this rock, and since it's supposed to be a dead world it looks like we are on time."
 
"Good! I need to prove to Hanna I'm just as good as her at killing pirates!"
 
"Well, if anything about this mission is right, you will get your chance. They are going to have the numbers advantage for sure."
 
"Hah. We will win. We barely even got touched last time!"
 
"You did, and that was against an enemy that didn't even know we were there until they were already beaten. These pirates have home field advantage this time. So let's take this fight as seriously as it deserves. Life and death."
 
"Tch, Fine, whatever you say, Commander."
 
I moved on, leaving Lenden to do as he liked as long as he wasn't about to lose a finger to find Hanna. She was as always in the exercise room onboard.
 
The girl was completely unwilling to allow herself to not be perfect. Hanna was obsessed with making herself a MechWarrior whose name wasn't just known but was feared.
 
I joined her for a time, running along the treadmill beside her until she hit the stop. "Any news, Commander?" She asked as she wiped sweat from her forehead, even as she kept moving heading to the next piece of equipment on her mental list.
 
"Yeah, we have confirmation of heat signatures on the planet. So we have activity. Looks like they probably haven't left yet."
 
"That's good. And bad… Are you sure we're ready for this, Vicky?"
 
"Honestly? No. But we have good advantages. I know we will win in the end. We just have to do our best not to get injured doing it."
 
"Ah that's right, Vicky's Combat doctrine order number 1. Don't die." Hanna jested as she started pulling up a weight.
 
"That's right. Every battle we walk away from is a battle we have learned something from. We get better after. We just need to survive long enough that we get so good no one wants to mess with us."
 
Hanna laughed, slowing her curls. "I don't think that's how that works Vicky, but hell, you're the Commander."
 
"That's right! I am, so the order is to stay alive. It's just gonna be tougher this time. It's not like we can surrender against pirates."
 
"No. That won't happen. I won't let it." Hanna grunted as she continued her exercises.
 
"I won't let it happen either." I told her. As I turn out of the workout room. With that most of my preparations are done. We just have to wait to get closer.
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===Stepping foot on a dead world===
Union Class Dropship, Faint Gray
Re-Entry, Gniezno II Atmosphere
"What's going on?" I demanded as I entered the meeting room. I had been downstairs helping my people get their equipment in order for a potentially hot drop, as we were only house away from hitting atmo.
 
"Enemy ASF were launched, looks like they noticed us entering the system." Colonel Maruska offered as he was staring into nothing waiting for answers, his brush with TDS still leaving him pale. Obviously the two of us weren't allowed on the bridge while this was going on. The Captain needed his focus and didn't want a couple of idiots getting involved.
"I see." I felt a shiver of terror up my spine as I settled in beside him settling in to wait. While we had ASF and they were the best pilots Vindemiatrix had, that didn't mean we were safe.
 
If our DropShip was taken out, it wasn't like we would survive. That would be it. Game over.
 
Thankfully about ten minutes before we would hit the atmosphere, a message rang out over the intercom. "Enemy ASF are knocked out, Retrieval of our ASF is under way. Landing procedure is beginning."
 
"Well I guess that's that then." I mutter exhaling in relief. I watched the Colonel do something similar, the strong white grip he had on a coffee cup relaxing showing he was just as relieved as I was.
 
"Are you men prepared?" He finally asked me as we started feeling the turbulence of the planet's atmosphere.
 
"If they aren't we are able to run to our deaths. So I suppose they are." I told him which didn't earn me anything but a slight deepening of the scowl on his forehead. Just because we were working together for this mission didn't mean we liked each other.
 
He was still pretty butthurt that his dad had made him apologize.
 
The rumbling of the dropship hitting the planet already started the loops in my stomach.
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An hour later, I was in the driver seat of a Norman. I had basically filled the back of the truck with the Radio system I had made, giving us a pretty powerful jamming tool, and hopefully strong enough security the pirates wouldn't be able to listen in. I passed by Carl as he took the second truck, Delta Ops already had their orders, as they drove off.
 
The planet was weird. It had once been a living world, with farms and cities.
 
Then it died. Apparently from what records the Governor had managed to pull, it had been a plague.
 
Thankfully, it hadn't been a human plague. Something had killed every plant on the entire world. Dead trees still covered the planet. They were gray husks that still stood, everything was gray. Thankfully there was nothing wrong with the air, or anything although there had been considerations about how long that would last. Without anything to refresh the air it would eventually turn toxic. But for now, it was still safe enough.
 
Not that I didn't have everyone wearing their full sealed armor and Coolsuits anyways. I wasn't taking any chances.
 
When it was my turn I pulled off the ramp, the Vedette tanks we had brought with us, having gotten off first in order to start securing the Union. Everyone was terrified of a sudden attack.
 
Lucky for them that wasn't looking likely. I checked the sensor again and noticed the pirates were gathering but not to attack, they were in their little city. We had time. I pulled up the radio as I drove out to meet our Lance. "Alright Green Lance, we are on scout duty. Let's go see what we can find."
 
<<"Commander Eisen-Blume. I still feel having everyone stay at the base camp until we determine enemy movement to be the correct choice here.">> Colonel Maruska interrupted, and not for the first time.
 
Seriously for a Colonel the guy was kinda terrified of being attacked.
 
"Negative, Colonel, we have our own way of doing things. Don't worry, we are going to make sure anyone who tries an attack on us doesn't get anywhere with it. Commander Eisen-blume out." I ended the communication firmly.
 
Seriously, the guy was terrified of these pirates.
 
Didn't he know? Terrifying enemies was my job.
 
My Lance and I started heading into the dead forest. We had landed well within a hundred miles of the pirate 'city' so I had a solid image of their numbers and positions. As well as their traps.
 
The old city was still there, and they had taken it over. Using the Starport to house their dropships and unload loot. None of us knew who these pirates were selling their gear too, but it didn't matter really. Whatever they had stolen that was still here, was about to be taken back.
 
The starport they were using had been moderately fortified, but it was obvious the pirates had planned on eventually being attacked. Most of the roads leading to the starport were blocked by falling buildings, or mines.
 
A few turrets were even set up around the port to give some extra punch.
 
But if you can see exactly where every mine is, they weren't a threat.
 
Our dropship had landed about twenty miles from the western side of the city limits. This path would unfortunately be one of the tougher angles. It looks like the same thing that brought us to use this location as a landing had been noticed by the pirates as well.
 
Luckily the northern section of the city had less active defenses than the others.
 
It just had more mine fields.
I smirked watching the dust cloud that was the Delta Ops drive north. Their Norman didn't just have the NightHawk suits resting in the back, it also had enough explosives to give these pirates a bloody nose. While they were doing that. Green Lance was meant to keep their attention. While the Colonel's Guard Lance protected the dropship, and moved with us when we needed more punch.
 
I had fought for command of the tactics of the raid, it had been one of the sticking points I had been firm on. Governor Maruska could either leave me in command, or he could find another group of mercs.
 
Here we were.
 
"Sending first checkpoint to Green 3, Green 3, I want those spotting systems knocked out."
 
"Understood Command. Green Lance, is on it!" Erica chirped out as she started guiding the Lance towards a group of infantry hiding in a building acting as spotters, I assumed. Considering they had radio equipment and were hidden in one of the few multi-story buildings in the area.
 
While my mechs ran off to start plucking eyes, I continued forward, driving basically into the city and finding a place to settle in.
 
I didn't want the Colonel to know what was really going on, so as far as he was aware I was out scouting and jamming enemy communications. Sure I could have switched out and took over the Locust for a while but… There wasn't a metal node in the area. Zero, Zilch, Nada. I was stuck with just what I brought with me, or whatever I could extract, so for now, I figured it was better to let Erica get some more experience. It was why I had brought her with after all. Over the next few hours I watched my kids work.
 
Green lance using large lasers to remove the scouts from existence without them being able to even realize they were in danger was step one for them.
 
Delta Ops, slowly working their way through the northern section of the city, dodging automated defenses, and mines, all the while getting closer and closer to their objective.
 
The Union's defenses were getting better too. We had brought along some barriers in storage that they were putting up in case we were attacked. If they got those secured they might set up some turrets and the like.
 
About eight hours after we landed the Pirates finally did something.
 
"Green Lance, I am seeing enemy activity. Rendezvous at waypoint." I called out as I ordered them back from their assault on any enemy daring to scout out the area.
 
"Roger that, Command, Green Lance returning!" Benny responded back and I saw his Lance turn and start coming back, although they did come in at an angle to attack another group of pirate scouts.
 
"Guard Command, this is Command come in."
 
>>"Guard Command here, what is it?"<<
 
"Pirates are moving, we got two lances of fast movers coming to take a look. I'm gonna need my artillery unit for a bit."
 
>>"... Fine. I'll send them out. Should Alpha Lance join you?"<<
 
"Negative, in case any of them slip past us, I want to keep your mechs at the dropship."
 
>>"Understood then Command, Guard Command out."<<
 
What a prickly guy.
 
I watched as the two lances of mixed lights started moving west. The fact they were pirates was evident. The slower lights were getting left behind slightly, as their formation of two lances broke up.
 
"Command this is Artillery unit, in position."
 
"Good to have you, Green Lance will set up here." I pinged a new waypoint for their system. "Once they are in position I want them to bring the lights into firing range. We are looking for absolute battle value here, I want to remove from combat as many of these 'mechs as we can. Understood?"
 
"Yes, Command! I know exactly what to do." Elias offered and I could hear the fierce grin he must be having as the connection ended.
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===Off to Prove one's Mettle===
Gniezno city ruins Gniezno II, Lyran Commonwealth SpaceA different perspective - Lenden 'Motherfucking' Scorch
Lenden was ready for this. His body was practically bouncing in his seat. Finally! Finally a chance to prove that he deserved to be here. That he was meant to pilot this 'mech.
 
And it was against pirates. Oh this was perfect for Lenden. He hated them, his parents had died in a pirate raid after all, this was just icing on the cake.
 
After a moment a voice came over the radio, the crackling that was on the line whenever Vicky was jamming, hardly dimming Benny's voice. (("Alright, Green Lance, are in position. Remember we are hitting them aiming for maximum removal, we want to reduce the pirates combat effectiveness. But don't take risks. If any of us take too much damage it's a failure."))
 
"We'll be fine, Benny, these Pirates are gonna be in for a real shock."
 
(("Let's take this seriously, Lenden. This isn't the time for fuckups."))
 
"Yeah yeah. I know. I'm focused!" Lenden agreed, although despite that he could still tell Benny was annoyed with him. Why? He agreed with him! Fucker, Lenden didn't get why Benny was always on his ass. Well. At least he knew Benny was also willing to back him up.
 
Even if he was still a motherfucker.
 
"I've been waiting weeks for this." Hanna hissed into her mic, and despite her not saying something, Benny didn't say anything to 'her' why was it always him that made everyone try to convince him to be serious. He was serious!
 
<("They are here.")> Erica's voice echoed out and all words stopped as we watched the road they were coming down.
 
The first mech to meet up with them was a Commando. It was also the first to get a surprise double Large Laser shot to it's face. It had turned a corner and Hanna and Benny had been ready. As agreed they took the first shot. Bastards.
The Commando didn't appreciate the shots, and it took the hit hard, the SRM launcher on it's arm split nearly in half as it raised the arm to try and protect itself. It was pure luck it didn't explode and the Commando quickly spun back around behind cover.
 
I waited. Whatever happened I would be there, although really only Erica would know in advance.
 
"Jumpers are coming up on our right, two Javelins. The rest are preparing a push."
 
Alright, Lenden, go show those jumpers what they are dealing with, Erica, keep us up to date. Artillery Unit, once they push, blunt them." Benny ordered out and that was all they had time for. The Javelins jumped on to the buildings on our right, just as the mechs started pushing.
 
Hanna and Benny let loose, firing a barrage of weapons. Large and Medium lasers slashing out along with the plumes of their LRMs firing.
 
I turned up, nearly bending over in order to get the shot I needed. While the Javelins fired their SRMs, I fired back.
 
Their SRMs smashed into me, but it wasn't enough to stop the scorch. The green light ripping into one of the Javelins, and it went down, enough of the lasers had hit something that it crumpled onto the roof.
 
Which is about when the rain fell.
 
The light mechs push faltered immediately as incredibly accurate LRM fire came down, LRM after LRM shattering into the mechs causing many to stumble backwards to try and find cover. There wasn't any. We had picked this road, because the buildings around it were pretty solid, no alleyways or overhangs to hide under. Hanna and Benny acted like a bulwark, as the lights faltered and started moving backwards but they had already pushed too hard. Even Erica's dinky SRMs were fired into the fray although I could see if any of them did any damage.
 
Sure the light mechs retaliated, but it was carving lines into our armor even as we took limbs. I turned to the second Javelin, even as my cockpit dumped heat onto me. My armor kept me just on the side of sweating but not too bad, even as I lined up the shot.
That was enough for the Javelin. It ditched back over the side of the building it had come from, realizing it was in trouble. I cursed realizing I didn't have a shot.
 
"Fucker!" I roared as I turned and instead aimed into the fleeing light mechs.
 
Green light flew, and scorched into the back of a few of them as they tried to run.
 
Between everything only four managed to get away. None of them untouched.
 
We quickly took care of the remaining pirates, going around and making sure their cockpits were clear.
 
No mercy was given.
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===Somethings are best left unsaid===
An hour later we were loading up the damaged light mechs onto cargo trucks and hauling them back to the Union.
The Colonel joined the group in his Shadow Hawk, and despite himself I could tell he was impressed. Not that he would ever say it. As I was standing by sitting on the hood of my Norman watching the rapid pace of the men grabbing the light 'mechs off the street he had walked up to me, but hadn't said anything yet.
 
"This was their mistake, but we let too many of them escape, they will be more ready next time. They will probably send their heavier tonnage."
 
"I know. We will be ready when that happens… I'm impressed. Commander, your men took on double their size, if not weight, and came out with barely a scratch. You did the same on Vindemiatrix, that's not something just anyone can pull off."
 
I turned to look at the older man, who looked like he was fighting with himself. But eventually he took a deep breath and exhaled.
 
"I apologized before, but you probably think it was fake. It wasn't. During the Vultures raid I lost my fiance. She was in my Lance, we had been together for a long time… I was tricked. They completely ran circles around my lance, by the time I realized… The Firestarter overheated me, with my mech locked up. They took out the rest of the Lance… I ended up having to eject as they were aiming for my cockpit. I watched them take out the rest of the Lance."
 
"I'm sorry."
 
"No, don't be. You killed some of the monsters that killed them. Now you killed some more. Thank you." He sighed once again then straightened, and the man that had looked so defeated a moment before was gone. Hidden away. "They might run. Now that they know we can fight. They might think this planet isn't worth it and get in their DropShips. We won't be able to stop them with just our two ASF."
 
"Oh, yeah I already considered that. Don't worry. They aren't going anywhere."
 
"What? What do you mean?"
 
"Kinda hard to lift off when one of the hangar bays on your DropShip won't close because a bomb went off."
 
He blinked looking at me in confusion, not quite putting two and two together. "The bombs should go off in… About ten minutes."
 
"Bombs. How did you plant bombs on their DropShips? That doesn't make-"
 
"Colonel." He stopped talking as I interrupted. "Don't ask questions we don't want to answer. Just know that it's taken care of. Now we start harassing the pirates. Right now they don't know what we are doing because we plucked their eyes. So we move. We attack from an angle they won't ever expect."
 
He was silent for a time. "How can you be sure that you didn't miss a scout, or a sensor?"
 
"We didn't." Was all I offered to him. Instead returning my focus back on the inside of my Norman, and the radio system inside. I hadn't quite managed to figure out how to listen in on the pirates radio… Yet.
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===Mysterious delivery===
Red BaseZaniah III, Lyran Commonwealth3021Perspective of Gauge Blake
thumb|Red Base
"Say that again?"
 
"There are four huge containers being delivered. The trucks are already being moved through security. Thought you should know?
 
"Huh. Alright fine. I'll go take a look, Mary. Thanks."
 
"Sure thing!"
 
Gauge stood up stretching out. Being in charge of the entirety of RedBase was not fun. Especially since he was trying to dedicate all his time to setting up classes and school for the advanced knowledge from the Core.
 
Already the Repair unit was advancing their knowledge. Sure, Experience might mean a Mechtech on Solaris would easily show them a thing or two, but the days of them not even knowing where to start were disappearing. Especially with all the mech repair classes.
 
Gauge had happily sat through those himself.
 
Still as he stepped out of his office and into the busy hallways of the base he couldn't help but smile. Everything was so busy, and everyone was learning! He truly felt like he was making a difference. Even if he really wanted to grab the Memory Core and hand it to everyone who he could just to spread it without limit.
 
But even he hated the idea of it falling into the hands of the Kuritans.
 
He pulled his hood over his head as he stepped out into the Zaniah heat. It didn't help much, but it kept him from burning up whenever he forgot to put on the sun screen.
Outside a truck was already waiting for him. Marcus waved him over as he slid in. "Marcus, what are you doing here?"
 
"Oh nothing. I was just around, you are going to check the deliveries right?"
 
"Yessss. What do you know and why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?"
 
"Nonsense! I am always here to protect my family! The containers are legit, and safe. Vicky warned me about them before she left."
 
"Oh, Great. Now I really feel bad. If this is another Vicky plan…"
 
"Yeah, it's great!" The other boy offered with a grin as they drove down the smooth path, towards a delivery drop off point. When they first got here, the road would have been dirt and dust, now it was well maintained Ferrocrete. The four large trucks carrying four large containers were obvious enough to Gauge's eye.
 
"What's in them?"
 
"What? And ruin the surprise?"
 
"I am the Commanding Officer. I could order you to tell." Gauge grumbled, but that just earned a laugh.
 
 "Yeah you could, but you are too serious to abuse your authority like that. HomeGuard have already checked the containers. It's safe."
 
"Great." Gauge stepped out watching as the four trucks were already unloading the containers in the marked location. It didn't take more than a few minutes for the Trucks to have dropped off the large metal containers before they rumbled back out of the base.
 
"Well you gonna open them?" Marcus teased as Gauge sighed, moving up he pulled the latch. The crowd of kids around him was making his bad feeling grow stronger.
 
"What sort of bullshit did you drop in my lap Vicky?" He wondered as he turned on a light and what was in the container was visible enough.
 
"Oh you bitch."
 
"OH MY GOD! NEW MECHS!"
 
"OH I WANT TO PILOT IT!"
 
"NO ME ME! I'VE GOT BETTER SCORES THAN YOU!"
 
"Marcus. I am going to get you for this."
 
"Nah. You are going to get Vicky for this."
 
"That too."
 
Each container carried a slightly beat up, but still serviceable STG-3G, a Stinger. It was a perfect light mech for jump jet training. Although a Chameleon would of course be better. Gauge could understand Vicky's thoughts on it. A Chameleon if you could get one were almost five million C-bills if not a lot more due to their scarcity. These Stingers? 1.6 mil and probably cheaper because of their rough condition.
 
So Vicky had bought four training mechs for the price of one. Smart.
If not for the fact she hadn't told him, so now the entire base would know about the four new mechs.
 
"Why am I in charge!? I just want to study!" He cried out as all of the supposed soldiers around him kept tugging on his arms to get his attention.
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Chapter 8-1