A Origin Story (ATwT)

==Description==
Bases on the events triggered in the Alternate Timeline with Thanks main story, where FedSuns' commando team on mission and isolated in the Pirate Cluster. Where one character would go on in the main story become something more significant. 
==Story==
Scout Mission
Pirate’s Haven, Pirate’s Cluster
Periphery
14th January 3101
The Pirate’s Haven that the Rabid Fox were now stranded on was a hell hole the atmosphere was toxic and subject to frequent radiation storms no human who wished to live a long life. The Rabid Foxes had scouted several targets without any luck so far. “Sierra One to India team we’re in position.” Christopher Grant said peering down his scope looking at the facility. Because the Pirate’s Haven had a toxic atmosphere anyone not wearing armor had to wear full facial respirators allowing two members of the team to move through the settlement unmolested but where they were at the moment was heavily guarded and restricted to people the pirates knew by sight only the skill of McKenna Wilde and Sylvester Keeler had gotten them to where they were.
“India One we have good eyes observing now.” McKenna replied she was sitting at the corner of the external stairwell of the building keeping watch while Syvester Keeler got the information they needed.
“Sierra Two, India One, you have two incoming.”
“Understood, we’re almost done, is our exfill path clear?” She asked keeping an eye out for guards meant she couldn’t keep an eye on everything.
“Affirmative you are clear” George Hewlett said from his observation point he could see their escape vehicle.
“Guards thirty paces and closing” Christopher said “twenty-five” he said watching them move closer.
“We’re done, Chris, the data’s confirmed it’s here.” McKenna reported
“Shift your ass then.” he replied
“Keep your eyes off my ass and and my surroundings please.” She said both of them were already moving towards their exit vehicle but the guards were closer “Shit we’re blown!” McKenna called out ducking down turning firing her sub-machine gun. “Sylvester shift it I’ll cover.” She called out Sylvester was already moving down the steps as McKenna emptied the clip.
“Both of you shift!” Christopher barked “we’ll cover George let it rip!” He ordered both of them fired their Magshots taking down two of the enemies. Suddenly alarms throughout the facility sounded as the pirates were made aware of what was happening. Both Sylvester and McKenna half jumped off the stairs running to their vehicle.
“We’ve got eyes on you” George said as the vehicle began to move “Sierra One, we’ve got a blue hover utility looks like Filtvelt manufacture.”
“Got you” Christopher replied as McKenna Wilde punched the accelerator moving the vehicle towards the bases gates moments later behind them were three other hover trucks firing at the Rabid Fox vehicle. “Still got you” Christopher said snapping off a shot striking the front of one of the pirate vehicles “Damnit missed the engine block” he cursed firing again this time hitting the mark knocking out the vehicle’s power plant.
“Nice shooting boss”
“Thanks Chris” McKenna said seeing one of the vehicles splutter to a stop “we’re heading towards Point Gamma we’ll lead them away and circle around.” She said above them the sky suddenly erupted with energy as lighting struck out striking the ground near them.
“SERIOUSLY!” Christopher shouted looking up “guys we need to get the out of this storm. George what do you think?” He asked George knew more about the planet’s weather than any of them.
“Our armour will protect us for eight to ten hours” he replied taking a shot at the second vehicle missing the target. Christopher switched frequencies to a private one shared between him and George.
“How long will McKenna and Sylvester last?” He asked as the sky lit up with further electric discharges.
“An hour at the most depending on how bad the storm gets our armour is designed to protect someone in the void of space human skin isn’t.” George replied taking another shot this time striking one of the vehicles the bullet went straight through the vehicle’s door and into the pirate behind it killing them. “She’ll be fine” he said they all knew that Christopher and McKenna were involved before it hadn’t been a problem since they had been in different teams now was different.
McKenna and Sylvester’s vehicle was moving quickly with Sylvester having emptied his weapon and in the process of emptying McKenna’s. Bullets from the pursuing vehicles were peppering their utility vehicle “this could be going better.” McKenna said but there wasn’t a reply “Sylvester!” She barked glancing over her shoulder her teammate was laying in the rear cab a growing puddle of blood below him. “Sierra One I’ve lost India Two he’s KIA.” She reported
“Understood” Christopher said glancing up as more cracks of lighting shot through the sky “abandon Gamma come right to us.”
“Are you crazy? Your armour can only take so much and if we can’t take them we’ll be in a running battle again. I don’t have my armour” McKenna said her voice slightly paniced as further pirate small arms fire tore into her vehicle.
“Do it, we’ll be ready George set up a surprise.”
“We’ve only got limited supplies boss” George started.
“If need be we’ll break into another cache we can’t do this job with just two of us.”
“We’ll be lucky to do it with three” George muttered Christopher was almost ready to snap at him but noticed the other trooper had already moved Christopher sighted the enemy vehicles taking another shot his shot going wide. As McKenna turned her vehicle towards them Christopher took another shot this time taking down one of the pirates. “Ok we’re up approach Bravo McKenna you understand me?”
“Yeah I’ve got it” she replied ducking as more bullets tore through her vehicle. The Rabid Fox trained how to approach a position of allies or enemies in various different ways a single code word indicated to a trooper how to approach any situation. Christopher remained higher than George taking the occasional shot at the chasing pirates taking out one of chasing vehicle’s drivers as McKenna continued to close on them George remained bunkered down waiting for the hover van to pass-by. Above in the sky the storm’s intensity was continuously increasing Christopher glanced upwards at the energy being used.
“Mind on the game boss” George said in their private channel reading Christopher’s mind.
“Fifteen count” Christopher said George nodded counting himself in the deliberate Rabid Fox way at thirteen McKenna’s hover vehicle flew over the planned point two seconds later George detonated his planted explosives destroying the remaining vehicle. “Good count” Christopher said “we’ve got eight raiders still coming on foot. McKenna is your vehicle still mobile?”
“Affirmative but I don’t know for how long.”
“It’s fine head back to base” Christopher said gunning down one of the still pursuing pirates “George we need to go no jumping in this weather move quickly.”
“Already moving” he said running back up the hill he heard bullets fly past him and ping against the rear of his armor. Passing Christopher he turned and immediately fired allowing Christopher to retreat for the twenty minutes they retreated like this fortunately for the Rabid Fox the pirate raider’s Mechs were off planet today allowing them to escape. In the future Christopher guessed the raider’s Mechs would be present as well and now with Sylvester’s passing things would be more difficult.
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Rabid Fox Base
Pirate’s Haven, Pirate’s Cluster
Periphery
27th February 3101
The external doors of the Rabid Fox container opened allowing the Infiltrator III Battle Armour suit to enter. Slowly it maneuvered into its bay and was quickly followed by a second after a few moments the external door closed and the toxic air was vented allowing the internal door to open and for the two troopers to enter the container. “Want to hear the big new news from pirate town?” George Hewlett asked Christopher Grant as he saw their commander sitting at the screens.
“An AFFS WarShip armada has entered the system and we’re away to be saved by the Davion Brigade of Guards?” Christopher asked sarcastically knowing it wasn’t even close to the truth.
“Almost better than that.” McKenna Wilde said triumphantly
“How can it be better?” Christopher asked now interested
“Nathaniel Gordon is dead,” George said triumphantly “one of our shots did a bit more damage than take off his arm the bastard’s dead the pirates are in chaos!” He said crashing down onto one of the chairs.
“We saw two pirate Mechs fighting each other on the outskirts of the base of operations chaos is an understatement.” McKenna confirmed.
“Then it’s time to up our timetable” Christopher said “once your suits are recharged we are going into their facility. You two will strike at the Brigand factory I will go after Gordon’s records and see if we can get some information about the people lost to these pirates on Malagrotta.”
“I thought we were going to just go after the factory? The three of us can’t evacuate thousands of civilians.” McKenna pointed out
“No, but we can find information on them.” Christopher said “Maybe give the next team a chance of helping some of these people.”
“The armor’s going to take a couple of days until we’ve cleaned out the sand, check functionality and powered it back-up.” George said glancing back at the four Battle Armor suit’s Sylvester Keeler’s still sitting silently alongside their own.
“We can use that time to study the plans we have and work out how we’re getting to Post Omega.” Christopher said.
“Something we wouldn’t need to do if the powers that be had put the comm. gear in all the pods.” George complained for about the thousandth time.
“Those Black Boxes cost a fortune” McKenna said
“And so does training us, but they didn’t skimp on that.” George pointed out the money that had been spent on the Rabid Fox training, their Battle Armor suits, the base facilities and their transport here dwarfed that of the cost of the Black Boxes made available to certain supply points but not all of them.
“The bean counters have got to draw a line somewhere” Christopher said looking over at the complaining trooper “when we get back to New Avalon you can lodge your complaint. Now get some sleep both of you we’re going to have a couple of busy days.” He said George nodded while McKenna climbed into her own bunk and was soon asleep leaving Christopher to look over the records.
--FINI--
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*Original posting on Bg.Battletech.com
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Category:Short Stories
Category:Works by Dragon Cat
Category:Dragon Cat Collection