TLR Chpt 18

frameless|right|300px|link=The Lucky Regiment
<<Next Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
==Chapter 18 - The Lucky RegimentThe Sh*t hits the Fan...==
The Marauders' mobile command center
Helm, Free Worlds League
April 11th 3027 - 23:30 hours local time
Ramage listened with a sinking feeling to Edmund's briefing on the group of unidentified dropships, he'd like to have said that the was grateful for the warning but the reality was he felt Edmund had just landed them all in the sh*t. Instead of spending his time training and being helpful the man had decided to try to arrange a dirty weekend of camping by the hills, understandable given how attractive his lady friend was, but catastrophic for all concerned.
 
Edmund had confessed nervously that there was a bit of a problem, and not the sort that was going to have an easy ending or be resolved with a cream. It might have led to an active debate had Edmund not made it clear that the die had been cast as it were and a message carried to House Steiner.
 
Edmund hadn't breached his contract as nobody had thought to add a clause to his retainer about what to do if they found that much hardware in a giant underground facility, battlefield salvage was usually covered in depth, but that required a combat contract, theirs simply specified they were on a complex retention that excluded actions against House Steiner and the Federated Suns whilst remaining available for a future contract for House Marik and clearly they were not to take contracts against House Marik.
 
Rampage's patience finally failed as he listened to the debate "So in summary a dozen dropships are inbound and you don't know who they are, what they want or whether you can engage them. Great, just great."
 
"The Argo can't take them on, but hasn't been spotted. Their IFF transponders are off and I can and will engage on the ground if they are Capellan, or for that matter Combine." Edmund was trying remain calm, but it was a tense situation that would only be worse when they finally told the Marik contingent what was going on.
 
"Let's suppose they are from a pissed off Captain-General who got word of you digging where you shouldn't?"
 
"I've calculated jump times and deployment times. A force that large would have been set in motion before we made the find, unless they were in transit nearby. So it is technically possible the Captain-General's intervention is en route, but the force is on the small size unless it's just a first wave. Just as likely is a raid from House Steiner or the Capellans."
 
Ramage hated to admit it, but the turnaround times for an assault on that scale probably involved several days of ground preparation, time to assemble enough jump ships and time to travel between the planet and the jump point at either end. A week was pushing it for a response time so the mystery task force was precisely that.
 
"So what will the Marauders do?" Ramage was well aware that between his forces, the militia and Marik infantry company and support platoon there was almost a combined arms battalion, except it had only a light lance of mechs where normally one had a company. So they could drive off a light raiding force, Edmund on the other hand now had thirty-two lostech mechs in operation plus a truly nasty selection of support weapons. It just went to show the benefits of keeping spare pilots around, Ramage had eight spare pilots but still needed to strike a deal with Edmund if he was going to get mechs for them. A deal of course meant taking up arms against House Marik which Ramage was not willing to do.
 
"If it's House Steiner I'll negotiate on your behalf, and honestly I doubt they'll care about your presence once they hear from me." That was sadly true, and the Marik company commander was no fool so he would doubtless request a truce, and Ramage had no desire for a pointless heroic last stand.
 
"Fine, that'll be the easiest scenario."
 
"If it's the Capellans or Combine we'll engage the moment we have confirmation of their identity, I can afford to replace any damaged mechs." Ramage didn't doubt it, despite the strategic danger he suspected Edmund would only be too happy to demonstrate the large battlefield advantages of Lostech equipment on the ancestral enemies of the Federated Suns.
 
"I suppose that leaves your current employer House Marik."
 
"It's a bit awkward so I plan to stall with negotiations, try bribery and fight them as last resort." Ramage had a hunch Edmund had a pretty good card to play on the negotiations front, despite his libido getting him into trouble for what sounded like not the first time, there was a definite sense that whilst Edmund was in a potentially dire position he actually had a plan.
 
"You have something they would want, aside from weapons."
 
"I have some memory cores with some valuable information, if they are rational they will come to an agreement."
 
"Alright, since you are the ranking officer, what do you suggest we do about the civilians?"
 
"Evacuate your dependents to the hills, the Capellans have done far worse things over the years than destroy a small town, if it's anyone else you can probably agree terms after a few days and watch the fireworks." To give Edmund some credit he had already persuaded Ramage to warn the people of Durandel about a potential Capellan raid, so in theory if the air raid sirens sounded three times repeatedly in short succession they knew to head to safety. The townsfolk were mostly going to head to the Helmfast along with the militia and the Marik troopers, the dependents would head to the hills to the North on the assumption they were the real targets, Ramage would do his best to protect the convoy until Edmund could get his force involved.
 
"Very well, how soon can you be in a position to assist?"
 
"Four hours for the convoy, closer to six for Helmfast."
 
"I guess I'd better put things in motion, for the record I'm really pissed off and Grayson Carlyle will be even more so."
 
"I respect that, and I realise you had just settled here, but duty is duty." Duty for a mercenary meant serving your paymaster in Ramage's opinion, especially when they had given you a decent land grant.Edmund was about to learn the hard way that you didn't betray your paymaster.
----
Outside the Archon's office in the palace
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
April 12th, 3027 - 23:30 hours local time
Simon Johnson greeted Colonel Sortek and firm handshake and a smile. "I fear we have kept you up Ardan."
 
"Well yes." He looked around in a mock conspiratorial manner. "I'd worry far more about your boss still being awake though."
 
"I think she was able to sneak in a nap."
 
"Rank hath it's privileges."
 
"I know, I'll confess to a tiny bit of jealousy."
 
"I do trust you will put the crew and courier into a hospital as soon as possible."
 
Simon nodded. "That is underway, even with Star League era flight suits and injectors the acceleration was at a risky level, the traffic control were nervous." It was one more indication of desperation on the part of the courier, normally in space travel days mattered, here it seemed to be hours.
 
"I trust young Redburn's companion wasn't too unhappy?" The coy reference was to Melissa Steiner's delayed attempt to meet her future husband.
 
"It's a delicate topic, only improved by her curiosity about the courier."
 
"I assume it's drawing attention?"
 
"Hard not too, it's not being reported in the press, but I think enough ship's crews will have watched the trajectory for rumors to be getting out."
 
"Oh well, you can always say medical emergency."
 
"At that speed I believe it already is for some of the crew."
 
A suited LIC operative jogged up. "Sirs, they are arriving in five minutes, not in great shape though, the Navy man who flew with them from Solaris had to drop out." A pity for him thought Simon, it was possibly his hour of glory.
 
"Let him know I'll come to see him in the hospital tomorrow morning, he won't be forgotten."
 
"Of course, Sir."
 
"Are they bringing something in their crate?" It was a rushed arrival, very worrying from security point of view.
 
The voices was almost a whisper "Memory Core, sir, a very old one, it's been scanned. I've taken the liberty of summoning a team here to help you examine it."
 
"Thank you, Major." He looked over at Ardan, getting butterflies in his stomach.
 
"I think we know half the story now, Simon, I fear the other half may be the dramatic part though."
 
"I think we'll head in now and give the Archon a heads up, Major could you bring in our guests once they arrive."
----
Five minutes later
 
There was a knock at the door. Ardan was standing next to Simon Johnson on one side of the desk, the Archon was sat behind it whilst six LIC operatives stood around the room along with a pair of doctors. The security arrangement was not too different to what the First Prince would have had.
 
An exhausted looking lady staggered in a nondescript green jumpsuit, two burly LIC operatives were standing at her side, another pair were standing next to a military looking figure who was similarly attired and not not looking any healthier. Their faces looked shattered, and yet the female one was strangely familiar.
 
"Ma'am, I present Lieutenant Chernovskya, and Corporal Taverner, both of the Mercenary company the Marauders, currently stationed on Helm."Well that explained where he had seen her before, she had been present on Artru. That cheered him up, this wasn't going to be an embarrassing anti-climax or fraud.
 
Four more LIC operatives came in behind them carrying a small military crate between them.
 
The Archon had ordered her priceless antique coffee table to placed in the center of the room upon hearing a memory core was en route. Nothing was to precious to place one of those on, though a table that might have been made on Terra centuries ago was probably close.
 
The Archon stood up, her usually calm demeanor maintained, but a slight shift in her voice told Simon she was on edge. "Gentlemen why don't you give our guests a seat, and the doctors tell me some fruit juice should be fine, so please serve them" A jug and a selection glasses were sitting on a tray on her desk. The escorts quickly had the pair seated and hydrated.
 
She looked at the crate, "I suggest you put that on this table." Ardan felt sorry for burly team carrying it, the obviously priceless table was almost certain to be scratched.
 
"Very well, welcome to Tharkad, it is our understanding this is most urgent."
 
"It is." The voice was faint and the exhausted woman coughed a couple of times and sipped her drink, nothing like a bit of drama he smiled to himself as the room waited.
 
"My commanding officer, Major Blackadder has recovered a full Star League library, it is contained on this memory core, a second one is en route with an escort from the Solaris flotilla." Ardan was speechless, Star League Libraries were mythical stores of human knowledge that had not survived the succession wars, suddenly the absolute secrecy made sense. The information on there would have dramatic implications.
 
The Archon sat down, tears forming in her eyes. She looked at the box at it was reverently opened, an SLDF logo clearly visible on top of the large data storage device. Ardan knew it had to be the real thing, Edmund Blackadder had already delivered the goods once before.
 
 
"Archon." He spoke quietly, "Their commanding officer previously led us to a cache in the periphery. He is very much one of ours, his formation was until recently stationed on Solaris VII." That only increased the sense of awe in the room.
 
"Lieutenant, we are most grateful for your efforts and that of your commander, the gratitude of the Lyran Commonwealth will be forthcoming." She paused, trying to steady herself after witnessing the arrival of pretty much all of humanity's lost knowledge appearing on her coffee table. "I am most concerned that I don't believe Helm is within our borders." Simon shook his head, Ardan simply hadn't heard of the place before."I'm assuming Major Blackadder is still there?"
 
The mercenary officer leant forwards. "He's still there, Helm is located near Solaris and is within the Free Worlds League space." She paused and drank from her glass, Ardan admiring her mastering the room. "He's trying to hold onto a cache containing enough equipment to outfit a division, he is praying for your arrival." That sounded bigger than Artru, which posed some problems if it wasn't in friendly hands.
 
Ardan winced, Edmund Blackadder was now in well over his head, handing over the Star League core had just shown the Archon that Hanse Davion had absolute trust in her. This however put her in a very different position, he wasn't sure how she would take being forced into a campaign. On the other hand Lostech was Lostech, and that sounded like a lot of it.
 
"Ma'am he sent me with a rough list of the contents." Slowly and carefully she pulled out a folded piece of paper, that once unfolded revealed a long handwritten list on it. One of the LIC operatives carried it over. The Archon slowly looked at it, her eyes scanning it repeatedly as she struggled with the handwriting.
 
The Archon looked over at the two doctors. "You'll stay here in the interests of your patients, but this is well above what they call classified, so you will both be my guests for a little while afterwards as well." She looked at Simon. "Your people know the drill, but I expect extra discretion in this case." There were nervous nods from around the room.
 
"Right, we've got a bit of a problem and I imagine Major Blackadder will soon as well."
 
She looked at the plain clothed LIC officer who seemed to be a major and then her spymaster, "Simon, I want my high command here for 01:00 hours, tell them they can load up on coffee. I suggest your assistant here gets on with that now, if they are lucky they had an early night." Simon nodded at the officer, the man saluted despite his plain clothes and exited the room. Ardan felt sympathy for the high command, but moments like this were rare.
 
"In summary, Operation Thor is going to have a new target, either we'll be in time and start the salvage or we'll make sure nobody else makes a meaningful recovery." That was definitely the way of the Inner Sphere he thought ruefully.
 
"Ardan, I don't know how you'll send a report to Hanse, but we'll get a copy of this en route to him. I assume you'll want to stay involved in the planning, I don't know what the Federated Suns can contribute quickly enough to make a difference." A glance at Edmund's trusted courier suggested a copy might already be en route, but a second wouldn't hurt.
 
Ardan thought briefly, Operation Galahad was building up, but that was more focused on areas away from the narrow Terran Corridor. "I'm sure there would be interest in providing support, even if only the form of peripheral raids to keep the Capellans and Combine occupied." Hanse was always interested in those, so it whilst it sounded helpful it might not be much of a change in posture. The Lyrans were in a far better position to act as they had been building up supplies and per-positioning units and transports for their big training exercise.
 
"Lieutenant, what will Major Blackadder field?"
 
She was struggling to stay focused, he doubted she had managed any sleep from the jump point to Tharkad. Courage came in many forms, and she was looking at receiving a chest full of medals. "We field a reinforced company of mechs plus support elements, but we have extra pilots and we know how to get the Lostech mechs up and running again so I expect there will be an extra company in operation soon. There are effectively two infantry platoons and artillery support along with an Arrow VI Artillery battery."
 
Ardan interjected. "Almost Battalion strength, but all lostech. Do you have any local support?" He knew them pretty well from regular reports in addition to having seen what the Marauders carted off from Artru.
 
"We were supposed to be on a joint operation to target the Capellans with another outfit, there are a couple of infantry companies and a light tank company, but I don't know that they would want to help us. They like their landhold, and it's a bit awkward that we found the cache in their patch. They are mainly part of the Grey Death Legion, they do seem a decent bunch."
 
The Archon smiled. "We'll try to make good their losses, and if they remain friendly I'm sure they will find our generosity acceptable." It was a crude generalisation, but House Steiner liked to periodically demonstrate they were the wealthiest Great House. Whoever this Grey Death Legion was, they would be looked out for.
----
<<Next Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
18