AWF Chpt 33

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=Chapter 33=
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==A Warrior's Family==
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===Scouting the Enemy===
Monhegan
October 3029
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Kelly clapped his hands, "Now, lets review task." As he went through the tasks Hap took a few quick notes. Most of the tasks fell to his lance, or him personally. Hap felt self-conscious even though he knew most of it was simple or straight forward, at least until he had to try and go toe-to-toe with the Dropship. Hap glanced over to see Anastasia also taking detailed notes, and she had a sketch of the battle field and had written down several key coordinates.
"I need binoculars" Joker said. "I didn't have my pair when we left Klathandu, and the best way to spot the shuttle without being detected is to get out my mech."
Hap nodded and pointed toward Jessica Lan. "Ask Ms. Lan, but be polite."
Joker nodded and worked his way across the room to the supply officer. Hap realized the brief had switched to questions and now Apex was pestering Kelly and Roweyna.
"Alright, but I think I should get some salvage, or a stake in the sale of the DropShip." Apex said.
"You were thoroughly briefed on your tasks and what this mission entailed, and you negotiated for a pure cash payout." Roweyna explained. This was the first time Hap had seen her look truly angry.
"I didn't realize part of the salvage was a DropShip ." Apex said
Roweyena's eyes flashed, "Did ye not read the contract, woman?"
"Don't be rude." Apex replied, "I didn't realize how much material was involved."
"You signed the contract. You can't renegotiate just because you weren't paying attention until the mission brief. We're being compensated fairly, let's go and start our preflight." Giggles said.
"That wasn't a mission brief." Apex replied, "We deserve more salvage, and the weather report sucked."
"Is this your first contract?" Brendan asked. "you don't try to negotiate after you sign."
"Hey, I'm not talking to you." Apex said.
Kelly looked at Roweyna. "Get this under control." Kelly addressed the room, "If there are no more questions regarding the operation, I suggest you all get to your 'mechs and get to where ye need to be."
Hap looked over the crowd to see Joker talking to Ms. Lan, she was nodding and didn't look particularly annoyed. Hap figured that was a good sign. He followed the crowd out the ops center and headed to his 'mech. The Coyotes and Dullahans had parked their mechs around the Ops building because they wanted to give the techs more space and time to prep the other 'Mechs.
Hap got himself situated in his 'mech and plugged in his neurohelmet. He made sure his radio was on the lance channel. "Joker needed to request binoculars. He might be a few minutes."
"Well, that looked like the most chaotic and convoluted way to defend a star port." Anastasia said.
"I'm not sure this is about defending the star port exactly, at least not completely" Hap answered.
"He is literally creating chaos and confusion. It would be more efficient to use point defense strategies and defend the area around the star port rather than hoping to draw a numerically inferior force into an obvious ambush."
"I get the impression that everything is special because of the Immortals." Hap replied. "Mags, was that a normal mission brief?"
"I don't know. I rarely was there for mission briefs, but I'd guess so."
Joker emerge from Ops building with a large olive drab case and a big smile. As he climbed into his 'mech Hap added, "I think that is why he has Fletch there to try and keep him from going too crazy."
"Perhaps," Anastasia added, "but there are so many variables here. I'd feel more comfortable if we just defended the star port and brought the full weight of our superior force to bare on the Immortals."
"As much as it's hard to believe, leading and fighting is all about people, even the enemy." Hap said, "I think we have to trust the Commander knows his enemy, at least this time."
"Hey, what are we talking about?" Joker asked.
"The Professor isn't sure about the plan." Mags said.
"Seems like a good plan. We find the enemy. We lead the enemy. We kill the enemy." Joker replied.
"That was succinct, but I'm concerned about the complication of it, and I doubt our enemy will actually just follow us into what should be an obvious ambush." Anastasia's said.
Hap's Griffin started to walk, "Coyotes form up into a square, and get on the road. We need to move fast. If we run low on time, Joker and Mags you'll have to go full throttle to find a good observation spot.
The lance starting moving as Joker asked, "Anastasia, are you going to lecture us?"
"No." Anastasia replied "You generally cut me off." Her voice had her regular business calmness to it.
"I was thinking I should start listening when you talk doctrine." Joker said.
"Oh?" Anastasia sounded surprised.
"Yeah, I'm never going to read a field manual or regulation. So I figure if I just repeat what you say, I'll sound smart." Joker laughed, "I like you. Might come in handy for picking up girls."
She didn't key her mike, but Hap could hear the heavy sigh. "Joker, did you get binoculars?" Hap asked.
"Oh yeah. Jessie Lan had a pair waiting for me. It's the one I kept wanting supply to buy for me. It has a digital zoom to 400 times or something insane, and the objective is 100mm. It has a built in range finder, and night vision. Even has a tripod. If we stop for a second I could see the Immortals in space."
Hap glanced up at the sky. He thought he could almost see a white dot high in the sky, but he knew that was unlikely. "Good. Let's get to where we think they'll land and get you in a good hide site."
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They moved quickly and quietly along the mountain roads. As they passed through the "murder bowl" the command net flashed. Hap changed channels. "Hap," John Saint said, "The Star Port traffic control called. Seems they got a Union class DropShip that is having trouble and can't land at the star port."
"Oh?" Hap asked, "Is that right?"
"Yeah, the Shuttle is also refusing guidance control, and they've turned off their beacon. The Star Port is tracking their new landing zone as just a few kilometers south of Tatayan's projected location for the Immortals landing." John said.
Tatayana's heavy accent came over the radio, "Sorry. Was best guess. Only data I have is from drone."
The landing zone was highlighted by a large red hexagon up on Hap's Nav computer, "We'll get the LZ under observation. Did you tell the star port we had a patrol out, and we'd investigate?"
"Oh yeah, we told the client you'd be real neighborly." John said.
"While we're on the subject, we can see the drone, but we can't get any of its data, unless you guys put it on the common operating map, we have no idea what the drone is seeing."
"Is Quickcell." Tatayana answered, "Crash into enemy is best use."
"Listen, if this drone pays off I'll spend the money on somethin' nicer." Kelly said, "In the mean time I recommend ye go radio silent until ye have something useful to report. You got a few more minutes while the Union is entering the atmosphere and is sensor blind. Get yourselves in position."
As they got close to the end of the mountains the Coyotes could see the DropShip coming down. They found a communications tower on top of a mountain and Joker parked his Firestarter on the reverse side and climbed up the tower to a maintenance landing. He had a heavy blanket poncho and ground cloth in addition to a portable radio for doing this sort of work.
Hap, Anastasia and Mags took up positions closer to the DropShip so Joker would have more time to get back into his Firestarter before the enemy could engage his shutdown 'Mech. They waited on the road between two ridge lines. Everything was quiet as they waited. Hap could feel his own heart race, and nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was starting to think this could be a bad plan.
"I got zero fighter escorts." Joker said in almost a whisper. "and aerospace doors are closed."
Hap checked his radio and realized he forgot to patch Joker's radio into the command net. Hap pressed a few buttons. "Ops, this is Coyote actual, we have negative on aerospace fighters at this time, over."
<<"Confirmed. Negative on fast movers.">> Kitty replied
Hap tried to ignore his nerves as he waited for the DropShip to land. He could start to hear the roar through his 'mech's cockpit. Then there was the shake of the ground as the DropShip started its final few seconds of approach and would "gently" land. Even without Joker saying anything all the Coyotes could feel the ground shake when the DropShip landed.
"DropShip down, over." Joker whispered.
<<"Yer commin' in weak Coyotes.">> Kitty replied
"Joker, you're over a dozen kilometers from the DropShip , you don't need to whisper." Hap said.
"Oh yeah." Joker said, "The Immortals' DropShip has landed. I can see their lion insignia, over."
<<"Got ye loud n' clear.">> Kitty replied, <<"DropShip's down">> It sounded like she was telling everyone in Ops.
"Mech cubes are open, and I got eyes on a Spider, a Stinger, and a Vulcan. They are lowering the ramp now. It might be a few minutes before they get the other mechs out, over."
Hap glanced at his scanners. They were outside of scanning range for normal scanners. "Anastasia, you see anything on your scanners."
"Negative." She said coolly, "Our systems are linked, you're seeing what I see."
Hap waited and stared at the ridgeline between them and the Immortals. He could see the top of the DropShip , but everything else was trees, rocks and road. Hap waited a few more unbearable seconds, "Joker, what's going on up there?"
"Up here? I'm freezing my balls off." Joker said, "But down at the DropShip they got the ramp down and there is a Flea, Spider, Vulcan, and Stinger headed this way. They're about 15 kilometers out."
"At the Spider's maximum speed we could be in sensor range in roughly 6 minutes." Anastasia added
"Copy all ,Coyotes. Recon lance is out and headed your way."
"The lance is staying together." Joker replied. "They got a Hunchback and a Trebuchet off the ramp. Hunchback looks a little weird. Not sure if it has an SRM-6, or what's going on with it."
Hap checked his notes, "It's a 5P, it has lasers, instead of the Tomodzuru Class 20 Autocannon that Tuna's had."
"Speaking of Tuna, a Thunderbolt just walked off the ramp. I used to think that 'mech looked cool, but now it freakin' haunts my nightmares." Joker said.
"Add that to the short list of things we agree on." Anastasia added, and Hap felt chills as he remembered the terrifying moments when they fought a Thunderbolt on Klathandu.
"The Orion is on the ground and there's an Archer in the door. I think that's their heavy lance."
<<"Aye Copy, second lance is down, over.">> Kitty said.
"Recon lance is about 12 kilometers out." Joker said, "Think I'll stick around for the rest of the show. There's a Battlemaster unloading and another 'mech. It sorta looks like an Atlas. I think it's a Banshee."
<<"Coyotes, confirm, if ye see a Stalker.">> Kelly said.
"No, but I got a big tank with three barrels. Probably a Schrek PPC carrier."
<<"Aye, that's a tough customer. Almost as bad as Tomax's Awesome.">> Kelly said.
<<"Almost as bad until you stomp on it.">> Tomax replied. <<"I dare you to try and stomp on my Awesome.">>
"They got two more hovercraft." Joker said. "Not sure what they are."
"Do they have missile pods? Maybe it's a Pegasus or a Harasser." Hap said.
"No, looks real slick and fast, just one large barrel out the front. Maybe a laser or PPC." Joker said.
Hap tried to think, "Is it small? Maybe it's a Savannah Master. It might just be for defending the DropShip . Commander Kelly, we might need something with short range weapons for the escort mission."
<<"Acknowledge. I'd like to keep the Jenner for jumping over mountains, and causing mischief and confusion. That's more to Mags strength.">> Kelly paused, <<"Volchita, need you to reposition yourself to where Hammer lance is hiding. You'll support Anastasia and Hap with the Escort Mission.">>
<<"Dah Ser!">> Tatayana replied, <<"She wolf help little coyotes.">>
<<"There ye go, Coyotes, I got you a wolf to help out. Now, Joker, about that Stalker.">>
"No Stalker, Commander. The hover tanks and the Schrek PPC carrier have parked in front of the DropShip . I think they're done unloading. Everyone is moving forward. No Stalker, no fast movers, and no LRM carriers."
"Get back in your 'mech Joker." Hap said. "This looks too easy, except for those tanks."
<<"Well the day's not over yet.">> Kelly said, <<"Stay sharp, stick to the plan. I still need you to take down the jump capable 'mechs, and lure the Immortals into the ambush. Then you can deal with those tanks.">>
<<"Acknowledge the tanks. We're going to have to neutralize them.">> Brendan said.
"Concur." Hap said, the Schrek would be a problem, but two light hover tanks were, as a rule, fragile. Being under the guns of the DropShip would complicate things, but if they had air support it shouldn't be too bad. He'd also have Tatayana and Anastasia.
"I'm back in my Firestarter." Joker reported.
<<"Golden Eagles, this is McFinnigan, are you on our net?">> Kelly asked.
<<"Acknowledge, sounds like an easy day.">> Apex replied.
<<"Yes. Need you to stay on the ramp in standby. Unless things go badly, your only objective now is to help us capture the DropShip.">>
<<"Copy. But I still get paid for achieving my other two objectives, right?">> Apex asked.
<<"You'll be paid as per yer contract.">> Kelly said. <<"Ops, reposition the drone where it can see the Coyotes.">>
<<"Hawkins acknowledges. Moving Drone now.">> John said. Roweyena could be heard in the background yelling, <<"Did that daft woman even bother to read her contract?">>
Hap could see red icons on the edges of his scanners.
"Commander, where almost in enemy sensor range, permission to engage." Hap asked.
<<"Aye, lad, cry Havoc, and let slip the dogs of war.">> Kelly replied.
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