ALR (ATwT) Chpt 2

==A Legacy Reforged (ATwT) - Chapter 2 ==
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===Skirmish on the perimeter===
Perimetre Line, Militia Firebase
Oro, El Dorado
Crucis March, Federated Suns
22nd June, 3105
“Ban-zhang Li Sunn we are tracking unidentified BattleMechs on our perimeter.” MechWarrior Tatyana Zheng Hong the second most senior member of his lance reported she was at the far side of their firebase on patrol, their lance was split in half for this patrol.
“We will be there presently” Li Sunn promised turning his Lao Hu BattleMech towards her position alongside him the Caesar turned as well, Chin Li Sunn was glad to see the junior MechWarrior follow without being ordered to it was a testament to Warrior House Sortek's teachings and the people of the Confederated Suns. They crossed the distance within a few moments coming across Tatyana Hong’s Cataphract BattleMech and the Rifleman that completed their lance standing guard. “Have they moved?”
“Standard patrol movements we believe there is an Enforcer III and another fifty-ton design we cannot identify out there.” Hong reported as they arrived
“Very good” Li Sunn said activating two controls on his BattleMech’s computer “This is Leftenant Li Sunn of the Warrior House Sortek to unidentified BattleMechs respond or be destroyed.” He commanded smiling when there was no response, there would be no response, after the coming battle his BattleMech’s computers would be analyses and they would show that his transmitter sent a transmission to their enemy but no message had ever been sent his lancemates would simply have been following his lead. He disabled the override command and swapped back to his lance only channel “Sunn Lance pursue and destroy intruders” he ordered each of his Mech’s none of them questioned his orders.
The four heavies moved forward beyond their designated patrol routes and into weapons range with the unidentified BattleMechs. Without hesitation Chin Li Sunn pulled the triggers for his LRM rack and ER Large Laser beside him the Caesar fired its own Gauss Rifle while the Rifleman struck out with paired light particle cannons. The only Mech not to fire was the lance’s Cataphract which was not yet in range of the two Mechs. Even with only three of his Mechs firing the effect on the Enforce III was devastating with weapons fire striking all over the medium BattleMech doing enough damage to tear the Mech’s left leg and right arm completely off. Even as the Enforcer III fell Li Sunn fired his Mech’s LB-X type Autocannon at the BattleMech sandblasting it with a cluster shot shredding armor across its hull including the BattleMech’s head. Inside the cockpit of his own BattleMech Li Sunn smiled watching the Enforcer and its pilot die but he was rapidly brought back to the present when autocannon fire tore into the left side of his Mech fired from the other fast moving BattleMech.
Twisting his Lao Hu’s torso to look at the Mech it looked like the Lyran Commonwealth's Blitzkrieg with a single large cannon over its shoulder and capable of high speeds but the Mech had larger and thicker arms than the Blitzkrieg and thicker legs. The BattleMech was running fast around his formation peppering them with autocannon fire the pilot, as rounds slammed into all four Mechs it was obvious the pilot was very experienced “walking” his autocannon from one target to the next. Li Sunn watched as the Cataphract stepped forward blasting the enemy Mech with its own LB-type autocannon the damage was not enough to knock the Mech down but enough to make the enemy pilot decide that they wished to disengage from this battle with the BattleMech turning and turning to escape.
Watching the retreating BattleMech Li Sunn was tempted to let it go and carry word of Warrior House Sortek’s battle prowess but he never got a choice to make that decision as the Caesar fired its gauss rifle and particle cannon at the retreating Mech’s back. For a split second the hypersonic gauss slug appeared to connect the two Mechs before the slug went straight through the armor into the enemy Mech, moments after the gauss slug impact the man-made particle cannon shot slammed into the enemy BattleMech. The kinetic and energy forces smashed the rear armor of the BattleMech and penetrated the rear torso coring through fusion engine shielding, the amount of damage caused it to stagger and then fall to the ground where it rolled over several times before coming to rest. There was a brief chance that the pilot had survived the attack and the subsequent fall but moments after it had come to rest the wreck was engulfed in an explosion. “Li Sunn to command, we’ve had an incident on the perimeter two BattleMechs have been destroyed by my [lance]].” He said in a matter of fact voice "I believe both enemy MechWarriors have perished in the engagement."
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Several hours later Leftenant Li Sunn stood in front of Warrior Grandmaster of the Order Imarra Sortek. “I just had an extended discussion with Marshal Goddard” she said “they have no record of your transmission.”
“I sent that communication!” Li Sunn said defensively. “My BattleMech’s records will confirm the communication.” He promised it was impossible that anyone would break his encrypted program which had activated the transmitter override, as far as anyone would be concerned his BattleMech had transmitted a message, the Confederated Suns had ensured that all political officers were able to send messages that no-one else could intercept or not send messages when everyone else believed they had.
“Yes, our analysis does point to that, unfortunately the surviving recording from the AFFS side does not support the claim…”
“Doctored records!” Li Sunn said “They are trying to make us look like an aggressor!”
“I cannot rule out that” Sortek admitted rising from her chair “and the Federated Suns know that, which is why they have agreed to pull back, the Seventh New Avalon Guards have agreed to withdraw a further three hundred metres from our perimeter…”
“We should extend our patrols…” Li Sunn began seeing an opportunity the AFFS obviously had no stomach losses in combat.
“No” Sortek said “our patrols being too close to the AFFS patrols caused this problem once it will not happen again do you understand me, Leftenant?” She asked looking at him Li Sunn was quite sure that she knew what he had done, but that his override had taken away the evidence.
“Yes sir” he said now he knew that she would not be convinced again and that she had accepted the fact that they were in the Federated Suns and that she was leading their unit into accepting this nation. While he understood her actions, he could not see his Warrior House betray their oath to the Chancellor-Prince even if the Chancellor-Prince no longer existed in this universe. “I shall disseminate these orders to the command.”
“Thank you, Leftenant, you are dismissed.” She said he saluted in the traditional Capellan way and then left the room. She had not expected him to act on his dislike for their current situation, but obviously she had been wrong it was something that would need monitored. As promised the AFFS troops pulled back from the firebase giving Warrior House Sortek space while they continued to discuss their differences and the Warrior Houses' future.
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Chapter 2