TOW19

Chapter 19 - The Other War
07/20/3060 Location – Eden, Pentagon Worlds
Zigfried stepped out onto the granite plateau in the shadow of his spheroid C-1 at the Elizabeth Hazen starport. Before him the Enclave of Rubat stretched out encompassing the entirety of this lush cool valley. The piercing cry of a Jade Falcon on the hunt above a nearby lake echoed off the rocks. A storm was approaching and the wind was already blowing mist in their faces.
His fellow Elementals of the 40th Mechanized Cavalry Command Point wore black and blue combat uniforms complete with armor and sidearms but no helmets just their duty caps. “You certain about this, Star Colonel?”
He looked over toward the pair of spheroid dropships that dwarfed their tiny drop-shuttle. One was a well used Unity freighter. The Unity was the standard light duty transport plying the stars in the tightly intertwined Pentagon Worlds where there was lately a deficit of materials after more than three centuries of exploitation.
The other dropship was a Sassanid still in Smoke Jaguar colors but with the insignia of Clan Jade Falcon's Zeta Galaxy. “Aff, we need that Sassanid to reach the Abaddon Heights. Its to high for our helicopters and to far to reach with the force we need by any other means in a reasonable time.”
A small green and gray painted off-road truck approached them at high speed over the tarmac. A Patrol vehicle by the lights and stripes armed with a Heavy Machine-gun mounted in the back. “Here comes the welcoming party. Keep your hands off the sidearms. We are not here to fight, quiaff?”
The Elementals waited a moment longer as the gun truck pulled next to them and the gunner lazily pointed it in their general direction. Two short (to an Elemental) Patrolmen stepped out with their gray armor over a green uniform with the Falcon patch on their right shoulder. Each carried an Avenger Automatic shotgun in their hands, with a medusa whip and radio on the vest. “Identify yourselves.”
“Zigfried Ravenwater, Star Colonel of the Fortieth Mechanized Cavalry of Clan Hell's Horses and my Command Point. I order you to take me to Star Colonel Zywot. We have urgent Warrior business.”
“You cannot give us orders Star Colonel.” They stopped mid-sentence as something came over their radios. The patrolmen looked at each other and lowered their weapons disappointed.
“She is expecting you. Hop in.” Their leader looked toward the machine gunner, “Doug get in, let the Elementals have the bed.”
With that the machine gunner dropped the tailgate and jumped down cramming himself next to his fellow Falcons in the cab. Five Elementals stepped into the bed standing two on each side with Zigfried standing leaning forward on the cab. A light rain started and as they descended the hill they could see just how dark Rubat was. “Looks like we are not alone Star Colonel. Khan Pryde has moved many of her people out of the Pentagon Worlds as well.”
“The Pentagon Worlds were once the heart of the Clans but there are not enough people to sustain it any longer. If it were up to Khan Fletcher we would just abandon our homes wholesale. I do not wish to leave the Homeworlds. What can the Inner Sphere provide that we cannot acquire here?”
His subordinate Nova Captain Murphy spoke, “Terra.”
Zigfried spit over the side, “So what! We leave our worlds to take over one. Terra can burn and nothing will change. Hundreds of worlds have been lost to reclaim an office that no longer exists why should we join them. We have advanced beyond that, let the Khans fight for their vanity. The Great Father left that place with no intention to return.”
Magnus, the very young Elemental that had taken his Trial of Position last month ahead of schedule to fill an urgent void in the Cluster, “Seyla! Star Colonel.”
The Elementals went down the access roads plied by container transports slowly working their way up the rain slick road. They stopped after about twenty minutes at a large hanger like building near the star-port. Just after stopping the Patrolmen dismounted noticeably leaving their weapons in the truck, “This is your stop Star Colonel. We have been ordered to take you back when you are done with your Warrior business.”
Star Colonel Ravenwater and his Horses stepped down and walked toward the entrance while the Patrolmen walked over to a nearby shelter to smoke their cigarettes. There was only a few lights on the structure so they aimed for the brightest ones. Two unarmored but armed Falcon Elementals stood guard and stopped them asking for codices before escorting them inside.
Two dozen Falcon Elementals were engaged in a competition within while the rainstorm began picking up outside filling the astroturfed hanger with a pounding din. Multiple pieces of exercise, martial arts, and sports equipment were neatly stacked up on the green. Lined up against a wall stood a row of squat double clawed and machine gun armed Salamander power armor suits interspersed with the lighter EXO-FIVE suits used by Freeborn Elementals during their initial training and infantry heavy weapons operators.
A blonde Elemental woman ran up and with the aid of a strap threw it 120 meters away with enough force to knock the wooden dummy down to the cheers of her fellow competitors. Even the Horses clapped at the impressive display of athleticism which drew the Falcons' attention to them. The Falcons bid them to come over and they followed led by the Star Colonel stopping just short of arms reach.
The older Warriors, a unarmed and unconcerned faded blonde Amazon, stood before the graying black haired scarred and muscled Horse in his combat harness. She playfully tapped Zigfried with the Amentum (Javelin throwing) strap wrapped around her wrist. “Ziggy. It has a long time. How are things in Petrograd?”
“This is not a social call Jaunie. You know precisely how they are.”
“Aff, I expected you to come here after that little incident at the starport. The real mystery is what you want to give the Jade Falcons for my help?”
“Depends on how much help you are offering Falcon. Those Salamanders look combat ready and your Elementals in good condition despite being callow youths or one step from Solahma.”
“While I have heard that your second hand Rhinos are a little worn out,” she looked at the boyish fifteen year old Magnus that stood a head over her, “and your Warriors need more seasoning. Seems you robbed the creche Star Colonel Ravenwater. This boy are barely out of puberty. Are you using his young blood to get a little boost yourself?”
She leaned in a passed her hand through his hair, “You have seen better days Star Colonel.” He didn't move and she whispered to him, “I want the Jagatai Star waiting at the Armorworks outside Yang's Baazar just for the use of my Sassanid transport pending a Trial of Possession. The Jade Falcons will maintain full control of the ship even if you are victorious. Failure will result in a double loss of material and honor to the Horses.”
She returned to her Falcons and he stood slightly taller, “Acceptable, not like I have pilots for them yet or would know what to do with them. I need more support than that. These Bandits are a threat to both our Enclaves you should be interested in dealing with them permanently as well.”
“I would but they are only attacking the Horses and not even your home enclaves on Irkutsk just the ones you recently acquired from the Wolves.”
“Because it is the one with the Mech factory. I would like our Trial to cover an Elemental Star from your Cluster preferably with incendiary ordnance to burn them out and air cover from your fighters in case the Bandits make a run for it. Better a lost dropship than one in Bandit hands.”
The Falcons perked up at the possibility of combat that had thus far been denied them. Their Touman had taken great losses during their Refusal War against the Wolves. Khan Pryde had poached many Warriors from the homeworlds and filled Zeta Galaxy with unseasoned Warriors right out of training or grizzled veterans recalled from recent Solahma postings.
Star Colonel Zymot thought about it for a moment and gauged the eagerness of her Third Falcon Velites who were hungry for action and recognition. “I agree but I want your boy Magnus.” She pointed at Magnus, a handsome teenager with no real combat experience, “to fight my girl, Katar,” a young woman stepped forward with a lean and powerful body complete with newly inked tribal tattoos, “Un-augmented on the disk.” she pointed toward a circular platform suspended about three meters off the ground. “First one to fall loses. I want to see if the Horses' training and Elemental genes are still strong in spite of recent failings. Otherwise it will not be worth my time or Warriors despite their urge to fight or the danger these Bandits might pose.”
Both shook hands gripping each other as tight as if they were arm wrestling one another, “Bargained well and done, Star Colonel.”
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