WCGW Chpt 78

<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
==Chapter 78 - What Could Go Wrong==
----
12 January 3042
Joshua (Former Outworlds System)
----
Lieutenant Joyce Brockins said a silent prayer before opening her eyes. She made sure that the straps holding her to her seat were as tight as possible. Beside her, Chief Donnie Wise had already verified his own straps and was focused on the various displays before him. She glanced over at him "You ready, Chief Wise?"
"All systems are nominal. Engines are hot and ready for lift off." Chief Wise replied
Why was I so stupid, she thought silently as she slammed the throttles to maximum thrust. Instead of a more normal advancement of the throttles, she wanted everything the engines could provide. The Lion's engines responded to the command and went to 110% power. With an ear-piercing screech as the Lion began accelerating up the makeshift ramp and could be heard for miles. A massive shower of sparks marked the Lion's progress along the ramp until the Lion Class Dropship finally shot off the end and was finally on its very own, only its engine thrust keeping it in the air. 
Hauling back on the flight controls, Lieutenant Brockins tried to pull the Dropship into a more normal attitude instead of a ballistic arc. While an Aerodyne Dropship had "wings" to help provide lift, a Spheroid Dropship did not, and that fact was working against their flight. The ships flight computer was firing the ships thrusters in an attempt to correct the abnormal flight trajectory of the Lion Dropship. Warning lights were slowly lighting up across the flight station, engine overheat, excessive G loading and a multitude of others. Within a minute of launch, the Lion Dropship was passing 100,000 feet altitude and with less air friction to deal with was slowly assuming a more normal attitude for a Spheroid Dropship.
Both Lieutenant Brockins and Chief Wise slowly exhaled, neither realizing that they had been holding their breath. She slowly began backing the throttles off until they were at a more normal 80%. As the exited the planet's atmosphere completely, Chief Wise focused more on the ships damage displays. The cargo bay was open to vacuum but safely sealed from the rest of the ship. The exact extent of any damage would have to wait until they docked with one of the waiting Jumpships.
Down on the surface, everyone had cheered when Commodore Franklin Noble, flying chase on the Lion announced that it had reached low orbit and was under control. Master Sergeant Harry Caldwell and Master Sergeant Croyle both looked at the bridge sections, partially melted and deformed from the immense heat of the launch. Sharing a look, they both shook their heads. Neither had expected to be able to salvage them, but they had to check.
----
Inner End (Federated Commonwealth)
-----
"You have got to be kidding me?" Major James Woodall said looking at the sight before him.
"Hey, you know how much I had to promise the local militia to convince them to let you play with these?" Sergeant Major Chester Pullman replied
"Probably way too much." Major Woodall said walking towards where the units Battlemech techs were checking out the dozen Battlemechs the local militia had agreed to let them use. Sergeant Pamela Sample, the ranking Battlemech tech was keeping a careful note on every repair needed, it was part of the deal Sergeant Major Pullman had struck. Several needed weapons replaced, quite a few needed worn out heat sinks replaced with new ones, but it would at least give them something to do.
Five STG-3G Stingers, four LCT-1V Locusts, and three VLK-QA Valkyries were being loaned to them in exchange for the unit's technicians working on much needed repairs, at the unit's expense. Though they were being allowed to use the militia's Mech bays. Common enough Battlemechs, even used in the Davion Brigade of Guards, only those were much better maintained. Several even had rust streaks on their armor plating. Major Woodall walked around the various Battlemechs and as he walked under a Stinger, he felt several drops of liquid hit him, he looked, and it was coolant fluid. Damn Stinger was pissing on him, he thought.
----
18 January 3042
Joshua (Former Outworlds System)
----
Loading of the recovered equipment was half completed, the trip to the awaiting Behemoth Dropship was fairly quick, but the unloading of the Mule Cargo Dropship took almost two days to complete. Roughly a three day turn around. Slow but steady was the name of the game. Still, it would be nice to be finished and on their way home. They still had to recover the smaller equipment that had been transported up to the derelict Olympus station at the Nadir Jump Point. Flying a constant combat air patrol had quickly exhausted the volunteer militia maintenance teams, demanding a reduced CAP of only two Aerospace fighters at a time. They were just too short handed. But this changed suddenly when an emergence wave was detected.
The Merchant Jumpship materialized at the Zenith Jump Point and released the Union and Danais Classes of Dropships it carried. Both began their burn for the planet 12 days away. Captain Barney Hagerdy had been pirating for over thirty years. Hitting both the Federated Suns and Outworlds Alliance. He had a Leopard CV but could only carry two Dropships so it was left at his small base three jumps from here. This was not a raid anyway, a simple slave transfer for supplies. He had dealt with General Jaws quite a few times, he provided slaves, which were put to use tending the small farms that kept them fed, cleaning, and all the other tasks that needed to be done. 
Ship Master Sarah Campbell had noted the arrival, and after several hours using the powerful navigational telescope to search the area of the Zenith Jump Point where the vessel should have materialized, she had the Merchant Jumpship located. Having nothing else to do, she had quite a few pre-plotted jumps programed into the navigational computer. Plus, they had reshuffled personnel, again, to take positions on the Merchant they had captured from that General Jaws fellow. She had a firm laser lock communication channel with the Intrusive, Intruder Assault Dropship on the surface where Leftenant Colonel Mitchell was located, and they quickly came up with a plan.
----
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
78