SoV-13

=Scars of Victoria=
==Chapter 13 - Main Event==
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===Chit-Chat ad mists Weapons Tests===
Shengli Advanced Technologies Arena, Leeward Archology - Victoria, Capellan Confederation - 11/19/3048
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A young man with cheerfully tousled dirty blonde hair and young woman with perfect silky black hair sat beside him. Both watched the producer behind the camera countdown to one. “Good evening viewers. I am Adam Varencia, a student broadcaster here at Victoria Institute of Technology here in Leeward.”“Elise Xiao, also a student broadcaster here at VIT.”“Elise, can you believe that the Board of Trustees let us headline this event and put the big guys in the press office downstairs?”“It is in our stadium Adam,” the camera zoomed in on their smiling faces, “totally no pressure.”“This is really a different atmosphere here than our normal Vanguard game isn’t there?”“Sure is. We have the eagerly anticipated ‘charity’ match between Kai Liao and Minoru Kurita. The proceeds of which will benefit the Capellan Restoration Trust.”
Drone camera pods panned across Shengli Advanced Technologies Arena; throngs of fold-out seating radiating from the ring erected in its middle. “Looks like a total sellout and its not even a homecoming match.”
BCJ officers in green and black tactical uniforms with their distinctive Shaku hats stood everywhere the camera looked. “Plenty of security as well, Leeward’s police commander told us this morning that every BCJ officer is on duty tonight.” An external feed of the gray and purple gravel fields outside Leeward revealed a Lance of bright green CCAF Home Guard Battlemechs and a pair of King Tiger tanks outside, it switched to the train terminal filled with Home Guard infantry from Fort Lee, “and we have contingent of Home Guard providing security as well.”
“Last count from the BCJ had more than twenty thousand spectators here at the Arena with the highest tickets costing tens of thousands of Yuan.” The feed switched to Leeward’s Central Circus which had projector installed to stream the match, as they saw the live feed switch to them, they stood up, whooping wildly and bouncing around before the camera cut away.
It paused over a section of two hundred seats all seating Draconis Combine subjects. Charge’de’affairs Ogawa Hideji and his wife Phila front and center. A young woman right behind them stood up and wove a banner in Arabic toward it. “And suitably occupied by the challenger’s team. Isn’t that your girlfriend down there, Mister Yoshimara?”
The camera zoomed out to reveal another young man with long black hair tied neatly into a low ponytail. “Sure is, you can’t miss Aria anywhere, and she won’t miss you. Trust me.”
EX: “Apologies, this is William Yoshimara, one of Minoru’s what did you call them?”
WY: “Gearheads is probably the best translation. I’m honored that you recognized the most handsome and best spoken of our party deserved an invitation to join you up here in the broadcast booth.”
AV: “So, Minoru issued the challenge to Kai last week. Kai Liao is a tough competitor. Do you think he knows who he is going up against?”
WY: “It wouldn’t be any fun if he chose a lesser opponent don’t you think? For someone who spent a lot of his life as the shy, shrimpy kid, it really heartened me that he was bold enough to issue a challenge at all.”
AV: “But Minoru doesn’t have any competitive fighting experience, Kai is a three-time Champion and has fought competitively since he was almost eight. Do you think he’s ready?”
WY: “Minoru won’t crack under pressure, he’s scrappy, and those Kuritas are hard to put down. There’s plenty of tape showing Kai in action while Kai doesn’t know what Minoru has up his sleeves. 
We haven’t gotten anything done in our lab all week while he has been studying and training under the supervision of Brother Itachi and the DCA Espatiers we brought with us.”
EX: “I suppose we will have to see what Brother Itachi and the Espatiers can do in a week. Technically how do you think this is going to go? Kai has a lot of redundancy in his training methods he is very explosive and favors a sharp and direct approach.”
WY: “Our boy Minoru isn’t afraid of explosives, he’s trained to disarm bombs, so he has the courage to face down a charging Southpaw Stallion as well. 
Most of Kai’s victories have come in the second round. I think Minoru can come up with a way to win if he withstands Kai’s initial onslaught. I expect to see him fight very defensively at first to feel him out before launching some sneaky strikes to wear him down.”
EX: “So you expect some underhandedness from the prince?”
WY: “No, but Kai hasn’t necessarily been training with and against former gangsters, cops, and Espatiers like Minoru has. The rules only prevent eye gouges and boxing of the ears anything else is basically free game. 
I think he is going to favor a clinch where he can try to get some joint manipulation in to submit Kai.”
AV: “That is going to be a tough ask of him, Kai has Qin Na in his repertoire in addition to height and mass on him and trained under the Warrior Adepts of Warrior House Imarra.”
WY: “Minoru did the same with the Adepts of our Order of Five Pillars. Kai has the experience and athleticism necessary to put Minoru through the ringer, but I’ve seen him improve a lot since we met on Hachiman. 
Kai has also been out of the game for a few years while at SIAMS so he might be rusty enough that Minoru can squeak a victory past him, but it’s going to be a tough fight for sure. 
One that I can’t wait to get started.”
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===The Introductions===
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The lights in Shengli Arena went out as the big screen showed a backlit outline of Mount Lee, its craggy heights a familiar sight to the citizens of Leeward. A booming voice from on high caught the whole Arena by surprise. “From the depths of the Mountain.”
Every subwoofer in the arena thrummed in unison the concussive effect on the final word assaulted the spectators who erupted with a resounding cheer. 
“Comes the Children of Thunder!” 
Flashes of lightning erupted from the mountain followed by gouts of white smoke. Another round of thunder was delayed realistically from that location. The stage lit up slowly, above it one the screen came a horde of mounted riders carrying lances topped with glimmering steel, smoke increasing with each moment as if dust kicked up in their wake. 
Beneath the screen a dozen silhouetted figures holding the same rose from below the stage as the thundering horde drew nearer until it seemed to surround the spectators. Once it completed the circle it paused as the lights came alive to reveal a dozen soldiers dressed in dark blue ceremonial horse coats, steel breastplates showing the St Ives Armored Cavalry insignia, and tasseled conical helmets, each carrying a blunted lance. 
Behind them hung a torso sized bronze gong engraved with ornate symbols. Kai lifted his helmet and tossed it toward the smaller horseman just behind him. He raised the lance to the applause of onlookers then twisted before throwing the lance into the gong with perfect aim. Its resonant hum accented his cries of “For Blood and Thunder!” joined by a coarse chorus of riders who tossed their prop spears and helmets off-stage before falling in line behind Kai as he descended toward the ring taking up their ringside seats.
“In the blue corner.We have Kai Liao.The Southpaw Stallion of St Ives.Accepting the challenge of Minoru Kurita!Fighting for St Ives Academy of Martial Sciences.Our Capellan Restoration Trust.AndThe Glory of the Capellan Confederation!”
Kai disrobed down to his shorts and with Cassandra’s help put on a boxing helmet and fingerless gloves. He jumped up and waved at the onlookers taking special care to avoid his Challenger’s section. Cassandra shed her heavy riding coat and took up position in his corner wearing SIAMS fatigues.
William, Elise, and Adam reappeared on the screen. Elise seemed almost giddy, “What are great opener, Adam.”“Indeed, Elise, appeals to heritage, patriotism, and martial prowess.” They and the camera looked toward their right, “Yoshimara, Your boy Minoru better have something equally impressive.”
Will’s confident smile and relaxed posture still seemed to show boredom, “Oh, he does.Something that’s going to blow Kai away.”
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Something sprayed down onto Red stage as the Arena’s screen went black and the lights dimmed. Elise and the camera zoomed in on the rigging above. Elise voice came onto the voiceover, “Is that water, Yoshimara?”“Sure is.”
Intense flames erupted from behind the stage briefly highlighting the taiko drummers waiting beside their instruments mounted in front of the stage, accentuating the dramatized process of smelting tamahagane steel. The first thumps of the Taikos ‘broke’ the clay crucible spilling out the silvery metal inside, each thud of the bar was felt throughout the arena. “Only the finest steel for the crucible, to face the craftsmen’s hammers.” 
A tall figure clad in black armor (SILVERBACK) rose from backstage to the ominous pounding, propane flamethrowers on both arms, and a fearsome helmet. On the screen behind it was a scene with a trio of silhouetted figures hammering onto a steel billet, shaping it with each strike, the only color a fiery red from the furnace and billet. Each blow from the larger hammer sent up sparkling pyrotechnic streams, the sound of the taikos blow reverberated through the Arena.
“Steel, shaped in the flame,imbuing it with the strength of its creator.”
The figure breathed flame from behind its Oni mask while sending streams of fire from its upraised arms. Another figure lifted from beneath the stage as the Taikos reached crescendo. Wearing an ornate helmet with bright red mempo, above a heavy canvas hikeshi banten (Firefighter’s) coat, the Kurita Clan Seal printed on its back.
Smoking strands of slow match tied around the horns seemed like offerings of acrid saltpeter incense. A tanegashima musket with Damascus barrel and teak stock held at his hip, its smoldering slow match held within an ornate serpentine lock. 
It was held aloft to a shout of “Hi to Hagane!” (Fire and Steel!) was drowned out by the roaring flames behind him. The musket coughed flame upward, simultaneous salvos of small pyrotechnic mines launched forth atop silvery streaks toward the Arena’s apex in rat-a-tat-tat of a feu de joie. Each detonation echoed off the Shengli Arena loud enough that onlookers covered their ears after the first round, but applause had the same effect when it finished. 
Minoru’s helmet came off once it was done, his black hair slick with mist, as placed the smoking helmet on a stand beneath the musket and walked down the stairs to the drums. He shed the heavy waterlogged coat reversing it to show a block-printed scene of a Samurai slaying a horse rider with his spear to the crowd before handing it off the Ryuun, whose irezumi tattoos were allowed to show in public for the first time since he was on Franklin Sakamoto’s crew. 
In the crowd Kuan-Yin blushed at the sight of Minoru’s toned frame as he walked past.
Meanwhile, the black armored figure returned to the mysterious depths below but not without a final gout of flames. Minoru squeezed out most of the water from his topknot before accepting his helmet and gloves from Ryuun who positioned himself square with Cassandra on the opposite corner. He gestured toward her menacingly making the ‘I’m watching you’ gesture drawing attention to the discolored blotch under her left eye. She just stared back at him with a scowl.
“In the red corner,We have Minoru Kurita,Prince of the Draconis Combine.The Warrior-Sage of Hachiman.The Challenger.Fighting for the Pride of the Draconis Combine!And the Capellan Restoration Trust.”
Ring officials huddled as the competitors went through the ropes and onto the mat. William, Elise, and Adam appeared while the referee explained the rules. “That definitely blew us away, Yoshimara. An impressive display of pyrotechnics and pagentry.”“I told you it would.”“Good thing they misted that area. What was the thing that was spitting fire?”“A robot we’ve been working on for bomb defusal and ordnance clearance. We’re working on another project right now, so it was available.”
Once more the camera cut to the ring as a microphone was lowered onto the mat. The referee grabbed it firmly, “You know the rules. Any last words you want to share before we start?”
Kai pulled it away from the ref and squared himself up toward Minoru still damp from the mist, “You’re already sweating Minoru. Your little firecrackers and tin man don’t scare me. I came here ready to fight so be quick with it.” He tossed the wired mic past the ref toward Minoru who caught it out of the air and turned his back toward him as he returned to his corner.
Minoru turned around the face the crowd panning his eyes on a large portion of the mysterious faces assembled, “Aite yori ōkī on'nanoko to tatakatte kimashita. Kare ga uma to no asobi ni modoru koto ga dekiru yō ni, watashi wa kare o sugu ni taoshimasu.” It took a moment while the lines were transmitted and subtitles added to the broadcast. I've fought girls larger than my opponent. I'll beat him quick. So he can get back to playing with his horses.
Hearing Minoru’s final words were in Japanese caused Kai to turn around sharply and hasten to the corner although he couldn’t get a good view on the TV feed from his low vantage point. He heard the crowd boo as the Combine section erupted into laughter. Cassandra whispered something to him, and Kai turned red before moving toward Minoru whose back was still turned to him, only to be intercepted by the ref.
Back on the feed William looked toward the others with mirth and chuckled slightly.
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===Fists go Flying===
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After Kai launched himself toward him and connected with the first punch Minoru couldn’t help but think he wasn’t as smart as everyone thought he was. Even hard sparring with Ryuun who outweighed him by almost half again a Kai. The thunderous onslaught of fists from his opponent felt harder than anything Sugawara had thrown at him, and he was given free clearance to do so. 
Kai’s muscles rippled as his fists fell like horse hooves on Minoru’s torso forcing him to take each he couldn’t slip blow on his forearms. The stampede only abetted with a perfectly timed hook to Kai’s forward right side and liver. He hit down on the area exhaling through the obvious pain before switching to a more orthodox stance with a snort. Minoru went on the offensive, but Kai countered the low kicks while ducking punches by fast crouching into horse stance. 
From this horse stance he launched forth his own counterattack headhunting with fast uppercuts avoided by hairsbreadth. Minoru tried to kick at the stance using the SnoS techniques (A mix of Muay Thai, Savate, and Kempo) he had trained, but any blow not countered was absorbed as if he were kicking an ancient tree, one that gave him a spinning backfist to his solar plexis for his trouble. He unleashed a ki-hap to tense his core recovering and counter-attacked with a closing ridgehand into Kai’s upraised arms followed by a daring left vertical punch to the forehead that left him defenseless for a single second.
A second after that contact Minoru stepped into Kai’s stance, slipping his left hand past Kai’s guard and ripped him down by the neck breaking his stance and slipping his own beneath him. He followed it up with a strong wheeling hip throw. The same one that Tsubasa had reversed on him in their final bout on the beach. Kai crashed to the mat with a thump as the crowd applauded. With Kai on the mat Minoru launched low kicks but Kai rolled with them before trapping his leg. Minoru flipped over as Kai rolled him like a crocodile before rising to scramble and set up a joint lock as the clock ticked down.
Ryuun shouted, “Don’t let him get on you Minoru! Break it!”
Minoru flexed his leg and body to hit Kai across the face with the opposite knee and his whole body weight. Despite the helmet he could hear the crack and feel Kai releasing his grip on his leg. He sprawled out and rolled back to his feet as Kai did the same. The final twenty seconds passed with a dazed Kai forced on the defensive as Minoru sent forth a salvo of punches although his kicks continued to be ineffective against his opponent’s sturdiness.
The bell rang and the referee whistled that the first five minute round was complete. Kai retired to his corner where Cassandra peered at his eye and savaged right side with sisterly concern. Minoru collapsed on the turnstile, breathing heavily as Ryuun draped the towel over him.“You got some good hits in the first round. He’s going to be feeling those all week.”
He held out his forearms where welts were forming form the earlier offensive. “I don’t even feel these anymore. He hits harder than you or any of the guys I’ve trained with ever did. 
No wonder he’s the Stallion of St Ives. I feel like I’ve been kicked by a horse.”
A second bell called the fighters back to the center for the next round.
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Each punch Minoru exchanged with Kai in the sixth minute felt heavier and slower as the pain grew, the Prince adopted a boxer's shield guard parrying punches with his shoulders while protecting his core. Kai started with less fervor than the first round, possibly a combination of reason, a sore side based on how low he kept his right hand, and fuzzy head from Minoru's knee in the final stretch of the previous round. Or it was all an act? 
His answer was swift in coming, Kai moved for right hook, so Minoru raised his hands and tried to get inside his guard in order to parry the blow. Instead, the Southpaw's left fist smashed into Minoru's right cheek sending him reeling to the side and into the follow up uppercut to his gut. Minoru crouched and managed to get in and lift Kai's right leg and toss him toward the ropes before it could deliver a kick that would have sent him into the ropes. Kai recovered and shot forward for a double leg take-down. 
Minoru sprawled out to avoid being taken to the ground sweeping his legs out to the side and pressing his full weight into Kai's back and neck. He swung his weight over to the side and pulled Kai onto his back before getting into a half-guard trapping Kai's left leg beneath his hip before punching him in the body and head, each blow bringing a new sensation of pain to his already worn arms. Kai tried to bridge and break his position requiring Minoru's full attention to protect it, land punches, and try not to get his arm trapped by Kai's strength.
Both were slick with sweat and labored to breath as they tensed muscles to the extreme, wrestling for position. Minoru achieved a full mount where he could send punches down on Kai who grappled him back down. Kai forced it back to half-guard then trapped his opponent's arms on the opposite side of his body as he escaped and suplexed Minoru onto the mat. 
The Prince felt the blow in every bone of his body but managed to wrap his arms around Kai's neck from below to hold him down. Kai flipped around and into his own half-guard pinning Minoru to the mat while he hung on to reduce the strength of his body blows. Sensing they were having little impact Kai drove the wedge of his hand deep into Minoru's elbow to break his neck hold and press his fist into the side of his neck setting up for a triangle choke. Minoru's vision went fuzzy before Kai released it and got off him as the bell rang. He stayed there on the mat catching his breath.
“Hurry up, Minoru, you've only got a minute.” Ryuun said from their corner as the ref leaned over him waving his finger. “You still in son!” Minoru gave him the thumbs up and kipped-up from the mat to the roaring accolades of the crowd sitting somewhere outside the bright lights of the ring.
Ryuun wiped him down as he caught his breath and re-hydrated. “You're surviving out there, Minoru. If you make it all three rounds, I'll finally collect all of my side-bet back from Mochi, and some more.”
Minoru needed something to take him through for the last five minutes, his old university friend thinking he would falter would do. “Mochi, didn't believe in me?”
A heavily tattooed arm patted him firmly on his shoulder sending him back to the center of the ring, “But I do. Go get him, Minoru!”
At the center Kai tapped Minoru's fist as they faced one another. The referee whistled the round on as Minoru dug deep into his time at DCA Crush School where every action under two gees was a struggle. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he kicked Kai's forward leg and followed it up with a clash of fists that sent waves through his opponent's chest muscles.
He was more comfortable with Kai's tempo now that it had slowed and was able parry or counter his punches and disrupt his kicks with some of his own. Kai attempted another feint but it ended up with a take-down from Minoru that caused both of them to end up on the mat again forcing both to scramble up again. 
A hidden fire from his belly gave him enough strength to smash Kai against the corner post and trade blows like he had learned from the Espatiers. Kai pushed him away, vigorously returning the blows before Minoru slid away. They probed one another at long range looking for weak points or attempting to generate take-down opportunities. The clock finished with a final hip throw from Minoru that Kai rolled with, using the momentum generated to bounce off the ropes and back toward his opponent but passing him with an elbow overhead.
They stood beside one another while the Judge's tallied the marks, whispering to one another. “You got saved by the bell in that second round, Minoru.”“You got saved by going shirtless Kai. I couldn't use half my repertoire.”“Cleary because you are in awe of my majestic muscles. I haven't spent twelve years in training to cover it up.I thought I could get you out in the first round. This was me going easy on you too, not at first of course.”
The only sensation that Minoru could feel anymore was pain so he didn’t want to believe that. “How charitable.”
“I almost decided to literally make you eat your words because you did piss me off by running your mouth. Both times and that was a mistake. However, you made it a good show in all three rounds, and got your ass kicked in front of everyone while raising a lot of money for the Restoration Trust.So, I'm satisfied that you might not be so bad.” 
Kai jabbed him in the side while the referee was looking away. The unexpected strike caused a slight wince of pain to appear on Minoru's face. “for now, but keep your hands off my sister, unless you want more than busted knuckles and bruises.”
The referee returned from the judges with the verdict, “The winner by majority judge’s decision is, Kai Liao!”Minoru fought through lancing, fiery pain as he bowed to his opponent and the audience. Ryuun rushed over as Minoru waved toward him, “Great job, Minoru, I knew you could do it.”“Ryuun, help me get backstage before I pass out or puke in front of the cameras. Hohiro wouldn’t let me hear the end of it, I’d have to kill him, and I don’t want his job.”
Ryuun put his arm under Minoru’s shoulder and walked past the Combine section engaged in a standing ovation, “As you wish, your highness.”
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===How others settle disputes===
11/23/3048
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Minoru hummed an Asgard folk song in the steel tub filled with ice water the dim light of the athletic trainer’s office hid the splotchy bruises left over from his earlier beatdown at the hands of Kai Liao. A knock on the door broke his idle contemplation on fantastic robotic applications. “Hey Minoru! Are you in there? Its six-forty, so you’re late for my practice too.”“Already! I’ll be right out.” He lifted himself out of the bath covering himself with the towel, he looked down at himself, and whispered “We’ll get you all warmed up.”
He opened the door as chill as he could resting his elbow on the doorframe to see her mint green helmet resting on the bat. “Your practice? This is my scheduled practice.”
She leaned showed him the reservation on the digital VIT sports calendar within her tablet. “Now we share it.”“How did you do that?” He looked at it and it did have both Kuan-Yin and his name on the slot.“I have my ways.” She leaned in and gently caressed his arm, “Does it hurt still?”
It did but it was numbed by the chill and four days of rigorous healing. “The twice daily ice baths help. Although I think I’ve lost five pounds from the shivering.”“If that works so well. I should do that instead of Hot Vinyasa. It would be a lot less work.”“You don’t really have a lot to spare, Kuan-Yin.”
Her face blushed slightly at the compliment. She had been working out hard to keep up with her new friends. “You really think so. I have been hitting the group classes more regularly and I feel great. Can you teach me martial arts?”
The pause between them seemed to last forever, “No, perhaps Aria would be a better teacher if you truly wish to learn. I’m certain she would love a sparring partner. 
Her Siyah or Sijal, my Arabic pronunciation is terrible, might have more applicable techniques than anything I could offer you, and you can practice it on your ATV because it was developed as an equestrian art for mounted warriors.”“On actual horses.”“Often, the Azami still settle their tribal feuds the old fashioned way even though they have Battlemechs and rifles.”“That’s so weird.”
His hands were raised out as if to push that hot potato away, “However, don’t you think we both caused enough trouble getting into fights that we might have been wise to avoid. I have no interest in a rematch with your brother and I think your sister might be better prepared next time.” 
They walked toward the batting cages, “So Minoru speaking of prepared things. There is no way you sourced a horned helmet, musket, and weird firefighter coat from Victoria in the week before the challenge. So why did you have those things?”“You wouldn’t understand, and I can’t explain it to you.”“Why not?”“As I mentioned you wouldn’t understand.”“I will find out.”“Not if I can do anything about it.”
Minoru’s floor was neat except for the armor stand which held the helmet and hikeshi banten, the small mount where the Tanegashima would stand was vacant because it was against the rules to have ‘unlicensed dangerous devices’ in the dorm rooms. A promotional poster from Stormhaven Entertainment advertised the five new Champions from the ‘Black Powder and Steam Power’ DLC released last year for the (Hachiman only Stormhaven Entertainment) Arena Champion game ‘Fighting Spirit.’ Burakkuhāto hōka-han (Burak-han or The Blackheart Arsonist), one of these Champions, stood there with a Tanegashima resting on his shoulder, smoldering slowmatch tied into the horns of his helmet, and his coat opened to reveal his musculature.
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11/25/3048
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Aria opened the door to let Kuan-Yin in and the relaxing smell of incense out, “Welcome Kuan-Yin, too bad you and Minoru can’t join William and I tonight, but what’s up?”
Kuan-Yin looked toward the rack of swords she was once concerned about, “Can you teach me how to fight?”
She executed a rear handspring landing beside her sword rack to draw a Damascus patterned Yatagan from its sheath. “Finally! A willing partner.”
The surprise gymnastics caught Kuan-Yin by surprise, “Um, do I have to do gymnastics too, Aria?”
Her Yatagan was sheathed and the whole thing was looped into her wide belt as she picked through the others, “Not if you don’t want to, but why wouldn’t you? It is great exercise, and the basics aren’t hard to learn once you start.”“So where do we start?”“First we stretch, then do some belly dancing for core exercise and fun, then I give you a dull sword with marker blade on it so you know if you’ve cut yourself when handling it, and then lots of drawing and resheathing, then…”
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===Interlude - Operation: LODESTONE===
DCA SkyWatch - Proserpina Prefecture - Glenmora, Draconis Combine - 11/20/3048
Massive satellite dishes loomed over small concrete bunkers observing the starry cloudless sky of the Persephone High Desert. Two DCA Military Policemen leaned against their gun truck parked beneath the old NAIS Geological Research Station sign that had served as target practice since the DCMS took the world during the 3039 campaign. Others patrolled the large, fenced perimeter atop ATVs while the rotors of a Peacekeeper helicopter circled slowly in the wind.
Inside the bunker DCA officers in light green fatigues watched the facility’s array and received downlinks from the numerous satellites that kept track of Glenmora’s ever shifting volcanic landscape. Geologists and Astronomers from the University of Proserpina were also on station conducting research on the same and the local star system though they clearly wore civilian clothes.
The large screen showed an IR anomaly emanating from the planet’s L-1, one of the red lights above the consoles began blinking, “Dai-I Ono! We have a situation.”
Dai-I Ono Katsuji strode over to stand over the nervous Go-Cho, “What is it, Iihiro?”“KF-Jump Signature at the L-One.”“We are due to receive a JumpShip there soon, aren’t we?”
Go-Cho Iihiro consulted the DCPA calendar for Glenmora, “A protected JumpShip transport from New Samarkand Metals is due on the Twenty-Second. So if this it, it's two days early. What should we do?”“I will transmit this up the chain to the planetary chairman and garrison commander. Keep your eyes on it. I want updates as soon as it completes its jump.” 
Dai-I Ono stood beneath the screen, “All hands, we are on alert until we have confirmed otherwise. I am increasing the guard presence and locking this facility down.” 
He walked over to the security console and inserted his key which would disconnect the facility from insecure transmissions. “All civilians are to clear the deck and return to their quarters under guard.Everyone else, get back to work. I want updates as they become available, understood?”“Hai! Dai-I.” 
The city of Tronka lay astride the fertile plains of ash its sky filled with enough particulates that staying outside for a long time or engaging in hard work required a filter mask. Baron/Chairman Arnaud Edgerton looked out across the River Tethys to see the dull red fires of the volcanic range that brought his planet prosperity but also turmoil. “Dai-I Ono, are you telling me that we might be under attack?”“Since they have refused out hails, we should presume they are hostile.”“But who are they?”“Unknown, Lord Edgerton, they are using same type of protected Tramp Class Jumpship that New Samarkand said they were sending. This one has carried two DropShips, an Overlord and what appears to be an Elephant Tug-type DropShip.”“A tug for a planetary assault?”“A large one that also serves as a solid combined arms transport.” Chu-Sa Tajima Masanari interjected, “I believe they are looking to raid the foundry where my Hussars are based but you should alert your militia Lord Edgerton. Glenmora has many potential targets worthy of attacking.”“Has Huan responded to your priority HPG, Chu-Sa?”“It hasn’t been transmitted yet, COMSTAR told me they need time to prepare their HPG. I fear I may not get a response until the invaders make planetfall in less than five hours.”
Arnaud reluctantly drew out his planetary emergency procedure booklet last used during a particularly active period of vulcanism. “I will alert the militia then and prepare to defend our territory.”
Scylla’s Gate, the only perfect harbor on Glenmora and located just above the River Acheron served as the principal port for Glenmora’s vast fleet of ore ships. Ships which dredged the ocean floor in search of unfathomable riches only to have them smelted and billeted at the now New Samarkand Metals owned foundry. Chu-Sa Masanari, CO of Kappa Battalion, 4th Proserpina Hussars, and another MechWarrior stood out in their red MechWarrior Combat Suits as they walked between the twenty pale green painted Proserpina Hussars Battlemechs, another short company of auxiliary Bulldog tanks, and full company of Ashigaru infantry prepared their turrets and field guns for battle.
“Tai-I how long do we have?”“Less than two hours from orbital space, Sir. Persephone is tracking them on the long range RADAR. They have not adjusted course or speed and still refuse hails.”“No response from COMSTAR?”“Negative sir.”“Damn, how do they know that we are so vulnerable right now?” 
They walked past a mauled still one armed Warhammer, mismatched armor panels pulled from other units revealed it to be held together by creativity more than metal, “Half of these mechs are still showing combat damage from New Samarkand. This was supposed to be an easy rotation, New Samarkand Metals was to deliver us new supplies before they took away the bullion.”“We do have full ammunition supplies for the tanks and infantry guns sir.”“I guess that is something.”
The coil of Bulldogs set out toward their prepared positions ready for battle, Chu-Sa Masanari donned his neurohelmet and looked up to where a marker from Persephone, downlinked to his recently upgraded Shadow Hawk ‘Torima’, blinked as the clock clicked down. His technician waited by the ladder to his kneeling Battlemech bowed as the Chu-Sa passed him.
Torima came alive with its brothers and set out through the giant foundry gates. Ashigaru set up firing positions for their guns just outside ready to provide a final stand against the invaders should their superiors fail. 
“We will do what we must when they arrive. Hussars on the move!”
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Six V-12M Corsair ‘Sand Hawks’ Medium Aerospace Fighters and four unknown flying wing type fighters emerged from the cavernous interior of the hostile dropships as they slowed to orbital speed around Glenmora. Their sleek lines were already red with reentry heat as they burned toward the target area to cover the cumbersome dropship’s final and dangerous landing burn.
A squadron of six Sai Aerospace fighters with a large centerline Anti-Air Arrow IV missile and fuel tanks under the wings waited in stacks of two along the wide runway looking out toward Scylla’s Gate. Presently their cockpit shields were drawn up so one could see through the gold tinted cockpit to see the golden uniform of the pilots inside. Behind them were a quartet of the much larger but slower DCA Ryoken (Aquarius) small Gunships were being taxied out onto the tarmac.
<<“Hayabusa Actual, you are clear to go vertical. Our RADAR verifies Persephone’s readings, and we have an intercept lock. Looks like you already have Sand Hawks and something different waiting in orbit.Ten Hostiles plus two Jumbos Cargo DropShips, Weapons free”>>The Sai taxied out to form a delta type pattern with each off set to one another but close enough that they could keep cohesive. “Roger that Tower. Hayabusa flight Talons out.”
Hayabusa Flight lifted off followed by the Ryoken who deviated from the intercept toward their real mission, interdict the enemy’s armed Jumpship. The Sai and Sand Hawks engaged in fierce laser dogfighting in the thick air as Anti-Air Arrow IVs burned from both sides. Already two fighters had to ditch into the bay from damage.
Chu-Sa Masanari and the Hussars kept their eyes to the skies as their interceptors were bogged down with the enemy air superiority craft but were unable to engage the other craft. The mysterious flying wings kept low basically skimming the bay before popping up at the last minute. 
Eight streaks of orange burned toward them as Arrow IV artillery missiles smashed into the reinforced ferrocrete of the foundry’s coastal artillery bunker damaging the facility and setting a docked oiler ablaze. Thick clouds of black smoke reached into the sky as the mysterious flying wings hit afterburners veering off to join the dogfight.
<<“Chu-Sa, Two of the A-Fifty Sevens (Snipers) are offline, firefighting boats are being dispatched from the port. We only have one remaining and even that might need to be abandoned if they can’t control the fires.”>>“Roger that Tai-I, I want all ballistic and missile Bulldogs on Skywatch. Return to low profile when they get here.”
Double barrel fast firing cannons reversed out of their fighting positions while the LRM-20 missile boxes of the missile Bulldogs appeared on the hill they had been hiding behind. The Dropships passed two kilometers away from them already upright as they accelerated their parabolic trajectory to land on the only clear terrain within a dozen. Twenty tan Battlemechs leapt forth as the Dropship’s legs extended to the landing position from their folded transit one.
“Scratch that order. Auxiliary return to and hold your original position while the more mobile and undamaged Hussars will engage these flankers.” Torima the Shadow Hawk turned toward a damaged Guillotine, “Tai-I you are in charge of the defense.” 
Proserpina Auxiliary Armor shifted seamlessly back into their defensive works overwatching the main road leading to the foundry and toward the small commercial airport that the invading dropships angled toward. The sparse grass and wooden buildings caught fire in the dropship’s thruster wake as Vedette medium tanks, Badger IFVs, two Vali HIMARs, and mechanized infantry rolled off the ramps and around the feet of heavier Battlemechs.
In the hills to the west, Torima’s LRM launched fired non-stop, each click of Chu-Sa Masamori’s trigger refilled the side-by-side LRM-5s held in its hands. Tan Wasps and Stingers formed packs that unleashed volleys of rockets into the Hussar’s medium mechs. Swordsmen, Quickdraws, and Phoenix Hawks were able to fight the Shadow Hawks, Tora, and Kyudo one-on-one but the already damaged Hussars were outnumbered and forced to withdraw with heavy casualties. 
The howling of the Vali’s Arrow IVs and roar of the A-57 echoed off the hills and buildings at the base of Scylla’s Gate. Above them the dogfight grew increasingly vicious as the high-performance fighters danced through the sky in front of the hyper-heated air behind them.
Bulldogs burned in their fighting positions and Proserpina Battlemechs were knocked down under the firepower of the enemy advance. Almost two companies of Battlemechs and a reinforced company of vehicles blasted through the minefield and hastily erected obstacles in their wake. 
Freed from their previous engagement the flying wings strafed the coastal defense battery silencing the A-57 that threatened the invading DropShips with its presence. The hostiles launched strike missions at the standard Bulldogs less able to threaten them in the air, leaving the Shigunga Ni-Ju (20) and Imperator 23mm Double-Tap armed versions to its ground bound counterparts. 
Chu-Sa Masanori powered down his Shadow Hawk after hiding it in a defile. He clambered across the rocky hills wiped clean of vegetation by the fires of war to get a visual with his range-finding binoculars. The Scylla’s Gate foundry door had been breached by a pair of Arrow IV strikes then pushed down by an enemy Victor. Masanori zoomed in on the stationary mech now overseeing the final takeover of the foundry and rout of his Ashigaru who had abandoned their guns when the defensive lines collapsed and thus saved themselves from the Vulcans that now patrolled the perimeter.
On its leg was the AFFS emblem and insignia of the 5th Deneb Light Cavalry, the Proserpina Hussars enemy they trained to fight, but who had arrived when his unit was weak. The shame felt unbearable, and he reached for the tanto on his belt out of instinct, before decided that its rightful place would be in the back or heart of his enemy at some time in the future.
The fires still burned as flatbed trucks started down the road toward the dropships laden with precious and strategically important metals that had been stockpiled due to lack of transport options within the Combine.
“So, the First Prince has decided to try his hand at banditry.This will not stand with the Coordinator.”
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