TOW20

Chapter 20 - The Other War
07/20/3060 Location – Eden, Pentagon Worlds
Magnus walked forward from the throng of his now adopted brother Elementals toward Katar. She did the same and their Star Colonels made space for them to size each other up and the other Falcons set about preparing the Circle of Equals for their Trial. She looked around seventeen to his fifteen full of lean muscle and Falcon pride. He would ultimately grow beyond her but for now she was a close to even match and it was evident that Star Colonel Zymot had a sharp eye for fair competition.
She sized him up as well, her braids bobbing slightly as she took his measure. “You are not a Horse Elemental Magnus. How did you come to Eden?”
“I was a Ghost Bear. Our convoy was intercepted along the Exodus Road by the Inner Sphere’s task force. They relocated us after taking our jump ships and we were returned to the home-worlds by the CHH Steel Shield coming back from the Wolf Occupation Zone.”
“I am not a Falcon either. Former Smoke Jaguar; the Falcons took possession of my Sibko and our Enclave in Amur before Huntress.”
“This has been a very interesting year for both of us then, Katar.”
“So, it has.” She extended her hand and he took it both clamping down to test the strength of the other, “Good Luck Magnus, you will need it.”
Both combatants walked toward the ring that was waiting for them. Magnus removed his fatigues revealing the kinetic bodysuit beneath. This suit improved the reaction time of the myomer muscles of power armor much like a neurohelmet and was a holdover from an earlier age; modern power armor like the Salamanders and EXO-FIVEs no longer needed it but the Horses' ancient Rhino suits did. Once Katar mounted the disk it was raised three meters off the ground from its six cables spaced equidistant around the five square meter disk.
The Warriors were allowed a moment to catch their balance and both did with no issue. Elementals frequently operated on moving objects, they rode or ripped into vehicles, jumped over the battlefield firing down on opponents, or if serving as Marines like Katar was likely destined to had to operate in a restricted and uncontrolled environment. Very little actual combat against anything but Bandits was done with feet on the ground so you got used to it or washed out into the lesser Warrior castes of Armor or Patrol. They all knew the rules already, first one to fall loses.
A bell rung from the ceiling, Katar circled Magnus and the disk wobbled with their shifting weight forcing both fighters to absorb the difference with their legs. He shot forward for a take-down but she evaded using the support cables with one of her hands and launching a Savate style reverse kick that pushed him back to the disk's edge. Magnus caught one of the cables and avoided the follow up strike that would have toppled him. Both used open hand strikes, low kicks, and attempted to reap or thrown down the other to the ground where they might fall off. Katar and Magnus alternated offense and defense as they fought around the wires in an intricate and violent display that was more akin to dance than combat. Each gave enough ground hoping the other would overshoot and give them an opportunity to go over the edge.
Ultimately Katar made the fatal mistake five minutes in falling for Magnus' feint and being pulled over the edge and into the mats below. The Falcons paused upset that their entertainment had ended but eager to get into real fighting. Katar was lifted up and patted on the back by the Falcons who quietly kept their mixed feelings to themselves. Theirs had been an impressive display of martial skill if ultimately on the losing side but now they got to fight for real against Bandits.
Magnus jumped down from the disk and shook her hand, “Pleasure fighting with you, Katar.”
Both took a moment to catch their breath and Katar socked him with a light punch, “I almost had you Ghost Bear. Doubt this will be the last time we meet one another in a Circle of Equals. Next time will be different.”
Star Colonels Jaunie Zymot and Zigfried Ravenwater took a moment whispering harshly to one another. Zigfried abandoned the whispers for shouting, “You mean you already had them there!”
The Falcon was signaling something to one of her subordinates, “Of course I did, Ziggy. I was going to Trial for those pilot-less Jagatais and kill those Bandits as soon as you lost the Starport. Now I get them without losing anything and have you to help me.”
She received and handed him a phone handset, “All you need to do is tell the Armorworks Factor to hand them over and we can go get your dropship back.” Zigfried walked a short distance away to speak with the Merchant in charge of the factory there and inform him of the Trials terms. Jaunie and her Falcons began suiting up in their Salamanders which animated with an animal like hunch and pair of razor sharp claws. The sound of the hanger doors opening and Aurochs Heavy Transports backing up filled the nighttime air.
“She had this all planned already.” He looked over to Katar who was walking toward one of the EXO-FIVE units. It wasn't the best front line combatant against heavy vehicles and Mechs but could carry weapons easily capable of laying waste to infantry while protecting its user from most small arms. “You took a dive and set me up.”
She stepped back into the suit which closed around her but left the visor open, “Maybe.
Rematch some other time, Magnus.”
The suit visor came down followed by the armored faceplate as she stepped past him joining the other Falcons loading into the transports.
----------
Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter
Category:The Other War Chapters
Category:Works by AlphaMirage