Down Swing

==Description==
A Lyran pilot struggles with his identity throughout the FedCom Civil War, and gets help from an unsuspecting friend.
 
==Story==
3064
Apollo
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
Lom Frapurtz sat motionless in his command couch, his 'Mech powered down. He picked this spot between two skyscrapers to be hidden from view. Lom could feel his target closing in as its steps shook the ferrocrete. The Jade Falcons would be sweeping the city searching for the intruders. Mechwarrior Lom Frapurtz stared out the ferroglass window of his cockpit and read the markings on each hatchet: Nine and twelve, tally marked. The Lyran pilot knew one thing for certain, someone would die in the minutes to come.
Hard to believe everything that has happened to bring me back here, to my home. I left here a soldier of Lyra. I return as a mercenary to drive off the Jade Falcon Clan from their roost on our worlds. But then, my self-imposed exile was never intended to be permanent. Only until the madness of the civil war had subsided.
----
3062
Tharkad
Lyran Alliance
A long hallway lead Lom Frapurtz to a small den. The personal den of Hauptmann-Kommandant Adam Steiner.
“Please have a seat, old friend.” said Adam. He was exactly how Lom remembered him: strong, yet kind.
“So, this is more than pleasure, isn't it? Something is wrong, Axe.” said Lom, using a nick name from their running feud from piloting similar 'Mech models.
It was then that Adam Steiner revealed more of his personal character to Lom than he had to anyone else before that. Lom could tell that he had a burden on his chest and was afraid to come out with it.
With a somber look, he spoke. “You know too well the political forces that are tearing our realm apart. The way things are going, people are beginning to divide everywhere. Something has happened, something that requires all military men and women of the Federated Commonwealth to make a choice. A horrible choice, but a choice nonetheless.”
“Adam...what has happened?”
“My cousin Arthur was murdered last night. Katherine – Katrina – and Victor are both spinning their versions of what happened. People are taking up arms, armies being marshaled.”
“What are you going to do? You are family to both of them...”
“I know that you will never take part in this war, Hatch. You would go AWOL first and I completely one hundred percent understand. You and I have always had this division ourselves, haven't we? Duty to the people versus unswerving duty to one's nation. My path is set. God forgive me, my path is set. I am to report to General of the Armies Nondi Steiner and General Sharon Byran of the Melissia Theater tomorrow morning.”
“Then you will shed the blood of your fellow countrymen?”
“We all will in what is to come. Whatever happens to me, whatever I do, please know that I have always been your friend. Forgive me, Lom.”
“I don't know what to say...what of the FedCom Regulars?”
“Decommissioned. I offered Tym passage offworld already. He leaves tomorrow morning. You, I'd like to make you the same offer I made him.”
“Offer?”
“There's a system deep in the Periphery that has a trade alliance with Katrina for its mineral-rich colonies. They need a military advisor to train their garrisons. A commander for its planetary defense forces. Away from it all. An old friend asked me to go, said if I needed a place to lay low, it was there. I declined, but told him I may know of some officers who will need the opportunity.
“Are you interested? Whatever is to come will come and if you want no part in the Steiner Civil War, then I urge you to take the offer. You will still be doing your part for your nation”.
“Full diplomatic status?”
“Full.”
“My 'Mech?”
“Your 'Mech.”
“Staff of my choosing?”
“Completely.”
“When you say deep Periphery...”
“Deep.”
“Well, I have to talk to Tym, but I think maybe he won't be making his ship tomorrow.”
“I hope so. I already mentioned the whole thing to him and he's waiting for your answer. I made him promise not to say anything to you when you got in. So, is there anything else before we finalize all this?”
“I don't want this to be seen as being unpatriotic to my nation. The exodus of a Lyran Military icon can't be good for morale.”
“None of this is good for morale. We've been tearing each other a part since Taskforce Serpent. No, Lom, we'll make sure the media covers this right. Or not at all.”
“I'm not sure if that's necessarily my concern, but thank you. May God forgive you, Adam.”
-----
3064
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
The power-up cycle began and the myomer twitched to life. The hardwired components began to buzz and to whine; Mechwarrior Lom Frapurtz could feel death in his grip. The computer spoke aloud the security phrase.
“The people fail the people.”
“Isle of Skye.”
“Get moving, Lom, you're on his scope. But he's on yours as well.”
The Stormcrow stooped behind a pair of 'scrapers, preparing to come around to engage. Lom lurched his Hatchetman forward in a run. Curving around the buildings, he brought his 'Mech into an alleyway with the back of the clan 'Mech plainly in site.
Dual medium lasers and ten slugs from his autocannon spat over the left half of the 'Mech while it turned. Moderate armor damage, but definitely not a crippling volley. Medium laser bursts rocketed out of the Stormcrow down the alleyway. Glass and steel shards filled the air and elongated black scorch marks appeared along the buildings' second floors.
Lucky. Better make myself hard to hit.
The Hatchetman lifted off the ground and sailed over one-hundred and fifty meters of cityscape to close the distance with his target. The clanner had turned abruptly and began walking backward to bring Lom into the site of its extended-range weaponry. Without warning, the Stormcrow let off a massive volley of laser blasts, angled across the skyline.
Multiple blasts rocked the Hatchetman mid flight, finding their mark on the center and right torso. Inside the cockpit Lom struggled to control the descent of the 45-ton metal machine. The Hatchetman came down to the left of the clan 'Mech, its left leg shearing through the office building's bottom three floors. Coming to rest huddled over, Lom stood up. He still had time before his opponent's lasers completed the recharge cycle.
Time seemed to stand still, as if caught in a bubble. The scene before him became crystal-clear. Every crease, detail, and pock-mark of the Ryoken's armor plates seemed to jump out at him.
Maybe this is fate. To find myself back here in my nation's greatest time of need from yet another threat. I'm simply playing out a role in the course of the galaxy. But that would mean that Apollo, the exile, Tholymacchus, my failure to graduate from Nagelring, all of it was suppose to happen. Am I exactly where I'm suppose to be?
-----
3039
Nagelring Military Academy
Tharkad
Lyran Commonwealth
Seventeen-year-old Lom Frapurtz walked down the Political Studies wing of the Academy, heading for a lecture. He brushed his moppy, blond hair out of his eyes. Lom was the kind of guy that would prefer to get somewhere of his own power, not others. Therefore, it didn't make him proud that he was here as early in his life as he was because of his father's influence.
I would have made it here anyways, eventually...
Yet, despite his self-assurance, he would never know for sure.
The two-hour lecture riveted Lom Frapurtz, where as most would have succumb to boredom. He couldn't help but find the contrasts in governance between states fascinating. The most important theme that was presented was the question of ethics and morality, their place in a command structure.
What does one do when your duty calls for you to commit unethical acts against moral people? And to refuse would certainly be a court-martial offense, but, more importantly, disloyalty to one's own nation.
The young cadet certainly did not have the answer. He hoped, however, that if the time came to make such a decision that he would no doubt listen to his conscience before his commanding officer.
When the weekly presentation came to a close, Lom found himself bustling toward the exit with the rest of the crowd. He knew how packed the hallways were about to become.
Pushing around a crowd, he locked eyes with a cute, young cadet named Yelena. She stood with a group of her friends by a table in the galley. They had taken their lunch together a few times but Lom could never muster the self-confidence to take it any further. He began to walk towards her, pretending to casually flip through pages on his noteputer's screen. He did not want to seem too eager to get to her.
“Lom! How was the political theory class?” she asked with a sly smile as he came up on her.
“Oh, the usual.” He tried feigning disinterest.
“Oh, come off it! You go on for hours about other's political situations. What did they cover today?”
“Terror tactics, false-flag and otherwise. Maximilian Liao's Reign of Madness in a nutshell.” Lom said.
“I remember that one. Two years ago for me.” she added, trailing off.
I hate ackward silences.
“Yelena, would you-” Lom began.
“Hey! It is you.” said a voice from behind him.
A tall, muscular student stood behind Cadet Frapurtz. When he had turned around, he came face-to-face with the man. The student's hair was jet-black and his eyes a cold, piercing blue.
“Frapurtz, isn't it? The famous admiral's son. We have Socio-Political Theory together.” he said.
“Yes, I know who you are. This isn't the best-” Lom started.
“I wanted to ask you about a particular point you brought up. I found myself impressed by your passionate presentation the other day. I don't see your reasoning as groundbreaking so much as ignorant. I'm afraid you may need to enlighten me.” the student said, with a smirk.
Lom's temper rose quickly, but, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of Yelena, he swallowed it like straight vinegar. At the age of seventeen, he found himself often defending himself from the other students due to his age being younger than most. With an encouraging look from Yelena, he responded.
“When a government fails the people that created it, the laws of that government can simply no longer apply to them. Bowing to an improper system of governance traps the citizens in a cycle of tyranny. Born a nephew to the Archon, however, I could see how such thoughts are below your consideration...”
Cadet Adam Steiner straightened himself up to his full height, towering over Frapurtz at one-point-eight meters. Lom knew of him. The royal nephew was spending a term at the Nagelring for certain classes. Rumor had it he was headed back to Somerset Academy after Tharkad's cold season.
“The Commonwealth is not in the habit of failing people, the people fail the people. Citizens who serve industry and the government are in turn served by industry and the government. Everyone needs to do their part. The Steiner fist lifts all.” Steiner said.
“I don't know what palace you live in, your highness, but what about the dead and dying, the poor and hungry? Did the Skye Separatists fail themselves to the point where they were lynched in front of their families?”
Lom knew that mentioning Skye in front of the other students represented a dangerous gambit.
I wonder how Yelena feels about that particular topic.
“You're a separatist now?” asked another student, clearly irritated.
“I'm saying that we can punish and kill everyone, but that isn't solving the problem. We need to spend more time learning from people's dissensions. What about the situation on Dustball? Massive amounts of spending directed at security forces to police smuggling and pirate activity, while taxes taken from the people are used to support the Lyran military in that region. All of this instead of helping the farmers irrigate potential farmland, or giving tax breaks to industry.”
Cadet Frapurtz saw Cadet Sturdewick raise his fist only a moment before he felt it. Flying into nearby students, Lom landed hard, his head slamming into something hard and metallic.
“Lom!” Yelena yelled.
Lying on the ground, he expected Sturdewick to be on him in moments. He shut his eyes hard.
And opened them. Sturdewick was lying on his side, holding a nose gushing blood. Adam Steiner wiped blood from his fist. An even larger crowd had gathered around them and they began to push to get a view of the scene. Lom rested his head back on the ground, feeling his eyes close. He could have sworn he saw a smile on Adam's face just before he lost consciousness.
-----
3064
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
Lom Frapurtz' Hatchetman jerked heavily pulling out the blade buried deep inside the Ryoken, or Stormcrow. They needed to hold off the Falcon defenders while the demo teams blew key structures all over the city. Including a fuel facility and ammunition depot. The idea was to cut off the Falcons supply lines to end their renewed campaign against the Lyran people. They deployed deep behind the enemy lines for a strike at their heart.
His screen beeped identifying a Summoner coming into range.
Am I just a variable in a program, executing on command? The take down was similar in every way to my first back on Dustball. Was that really so long ago? Seems like yesterday.
-----
3047
Dustball
Lyran half of Federated Commonwealth
“Kommandant Berndiggan! I have them on long range, Sir. Coming through Trevor's Pass, sector 341.”
“What's your e.t.a, soldier?”
“Twelve minutes, Sir. Running hot.”
“I'm relying on you, Frapurtz. Don't make me regret your promotion. Now earn those bars, I want Nefarious Nate's head, Leutenant. His head.”
“Yes, Sir!”
Leutenant Lom Frapurtz led his men at full speed toward Trevor's Pass. His lance was a mix of Lyran and Davion pilots called the FedCom Regulars. Their commander was killed by the notorious pirate Nefarious Nate, who piloted a Marauder II. Lom was given a field promotion but that still left a vacancy in their ranks.
Where do they come up with these nicknames?
Directly behind his Hatchetman strode an Enforcer piloted by Tym “Sun” O'Conell. The other FedSun lance mate, Enlaya “Dart” Mroscov, lead the pack in her Phoenix Hawk.
And beside Lom Frapurtz' 'Mech strode a yellow and black Axeman, arduously shuffling through the sand. Lom never imagined the replacement, temporary though he may be, would be the man at the controls of the 65 tonner.
The Axeman's left hand reached out and grabbed Lom's right hatchet, bracing it.
“Hey Lom! Watch where you're swinging that thing. I just had my techs redo the paint.”
“Of course, your Highness. I would hate to force your minions to take up your precious time.”
“Oh, stop. You're killing me over here” laughed Adam Steiner. “Day I get minions, you're top of the list.”
“Deal. But you have to promise to tell me what you are really doing out here when we get back.”
“Agreed. So, Lom, whatever happened to that cute cadet you use to date? Quite the looker.” Adam asked.
“We didn't last long after I walked away from...from the academy.” Lom stated, not wanting to mention the Nagelring in front of his lance. The less they knew about his past the better. He didn't want to take the chance that it would bias their feelings toward him.
“Cute cadet? Oh, please tell, Hauptmann Steiner.” Enlaya said, teasingly.“It was nothing, just a brief romance.” Lom said.
“Oh, please! The two of you became inseparable! I noticed a few times you didn't show up for class, doesn't take too much imagination as to what you spent your morning-” Adam began.
“Adam! Come on, man. Better watch it, old friend, or we'll square up when we get back.” he said.
“So Lom's famous soft spot is still there.” Adam said, with a laugh.
“Coming up on the contacts, boys. Ready for the real battle?” informed Enlaya.
Her Phoenix Hawk crested the rise before the others, but was soon joined by Lom's Hatchetman.
“Spread out. There seems to be no visible sign of the signals. They should be he-”
The sand traps opened up and a lance of BattleMechs came up out of the desert, opening fire at very close range on the FedCom Regulars. In the front was Nate's Marauder II, followed by a Centurion, Firefly, and Rifleman.
“Enlaya, fall back to Tym's position behind the ridge!” shouted Frapurtz.
He had gotten his 'Mech back to where Steiner had retreated behind some boulders without taking much damage. Enlaya's machine, however, wasn't as lucky. She took several blasts from what he could tell were high grade energy weapons, as well as the azure beam of a PPC.
“Provide covering fire for her!” Lom shouted.
Laser blasts bisected the battlefield and autocannon slugs followed them in. An enemy Firefly buckled under the fire and went down, slamming hard on it's left side. A lucky group of slugs to a Centurion's head caused it to back down from its assault.
Despite the fiery tide sent up by Lom and his lance, the Marauder II and a Rifleman pounded Enlaya's Phoenix Hawk with ferocity. With her jump jets lifting her into the air, she hammered down on the Marauder II with her arsenal of a large and two medium lasers. All but one of the mediums found their mark on the mammoth 'Mech's torso.
At some point in her flight her fusion engine was struck. A loud pop sounded from her reactor, followed by black smoke billowing from her right torso. That was when her machine gun ammo went up. The auto-ejection mechanism shot her command couch out of the head of the Phoenix Hawk, forty meters in the air. Her seat whipped somersaults viciously until the parachute both stabilized and decelerated her into a smooth glide. Slipping off the scene of the battle, she landed about twenty meters behind a large dune, taking her out of sight of her team.
As Tym provided covering fire against the Marauder II, Lom and Adam concentrated fire on the Centurion, wary of his headshot. The pilot jolted hard against his seat, yet returned fire fully. Autocannon shells slammed into the Axeman's center torso, peeling armor slabs off in multiple directions. The Hatchetman popped out of cover and fired its medium lasers at the Centurion, striking into his right torso. At the same instant, however, the enemy Rifleman released a massive salvo of laser and autocannon fire, tearing entire sections of armor off his Hatchetman, digging deep into the internals.
Lom ignored the warning signal in his cockpit. Opening firing with his own autocannon, he tagged the Rifleman's right arm.
Steiner continued firing at the Centurion, who had by now regained cover, dissuading the pilot from impacting the battle too directly.
Tym fired repeatedly at the Marauder II as it came closer, striding head on into fire. Tym was behind a shoulder-height sand dune. The sand, however, would not buffer him from the assault 'Mech forever. Gauss and multiple PPC shots blew craters into the dune, diminishing Tym's cover.
He raised his weapons and fired at the towering killer. His autocannon and large laser struck the beast in the torso, tearing up armor but not nearly enough. Two PPC blasts and a gauss slug came at Tym an instant later, before he could react. One PPC missed by a hair, the other struck him full on in the right torso. The gauss slug buried itself in his Enforcer's right leg but failed to take out any of the internal actuators.
Meanwhile, the close-combat specialist 'Mechs used their autocannons to bore holes in the Rifleman until his right arm-mounted weapons would not fire and his movement was significantly slowed due to what looked like a destroyed upper leg actuator.
The Centurion had taken cover behind some rocks ninety meters from their position and was firing only opportunistically now. Adam Steiner targeted the center of the rock outcropping and dialed in his full compliment: autocannon, medium lasers, and large laser. The cannon rounds shredded the ancient rock, multilayer creases forming and exploding nanoseconds later when the next round hit. He let the lasers fly, ruby beams streaking at the speed of light splashing a massive ten-meter portion of rock into vapor and dust.
The dust and sandy particles covered the Centurion, clogging up his sensors due to the armor damage in the head of his 'Mech. The Centurion paused to let his targeting system come back on line.
Lom used the opportunity to his full potential, taking off at a mad run. Passing through the Marauder II's field of fire, he took five auto slugs and an assortment of laser blasts directly from the Rifleman while he charged.
Before the sixty tonner could evade, Frapurtz delivered a death blow to its remaining useful arm. With a downward chop from his right hatchet, he landed a demolishing blow to the left arm. Without losing the momentum of the charge, Lom spun Abschwung counter-clockwise pivoting on its right foot, sweeping the left hatchet horizontally into the enemy 'Mech's chest. The Rifleman collapsed onto its back, gyroscope wrecked. It's large lasers fired across the skyline.
The Marauder II moved it's targeting reticle from the Enforcer's cover to the Hatchetman while Nate watched his target swing into the Rifleman. Before his fingers squeezed the fire mechanisms on the joysticks, a yellow blur rose up in front of his cockpit. Another blur, red this time, came at his cockpit at high speed.
“What is that?” mumbled Nefarious Nate.
That was the last thought Nefarious Nate ever had. The destruction of the pirate leader took away what little fight the Centurion pilot had left. Taking his 'Mech out of cover, he turned and ran, quickly crossing the dunes to an unknown location.
Adam Steiner pulled his hatchet out of the head of the still standing 'Mech.
“Not too bad, methinks.“ concluded Frapurtz.
“I'm headed over to Enlaya's position, she can ride back with me.” said Tym.
“Roger that, Tym. Thanks for covering my six, Hauptmann. I'll secure the Firefly if you want the RFL.”
“No problem. Sheer luck I didn't get blown apart.” replied Adam Steiner.
“Leutenant.” It was Tym.
“Tym, what's wrong?”
“Enlaya's dead. I'm at her landing zone and it looks like her neck snapped.” Tym trailed off.
“Adam, guard the mechs, Tym I'm on my way.” Lom said.
“She ejected at an odd angle...while shooting through the air in her Hawk. The explosion whipped her around like a rag doll. I should have acted sooner. Should have turned up the heat on that Maddie. I failed her.”
-------
3064
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
The Hatchetman slyly strode down one street, and then another, searching for a trace of the Thor he hunted. It had gone off the edge of his screen. He switched to a special, coded frequency that only his people used.
“Forrest, are you in position?” he asked.
“...coming up on his six, Sir.”
“What's your location? I've lost him.” Lom said.
“Near the main pier. He's starting to move inland more toward the City Library and Courthouse. He's turning about to engage, how far out are you?” Kurt asked.
“I'll be there before you know it, blast that Clanner into slag, Sergent!” Lom said.
But even if we strike down these Falcons, our people are still slaughtering each other back home. Not even a threat from our past can unite us.
-----
3050
Apollo
Lyran Commonwealth
“Lom! Three contacts coming from the West, down Valton Street. They're one kilometer out, so count our heads.”
“Counting. Up one, Tym. One kilometer puts those three on the opposite side of the bridge, right?”
“By far.” replied Tym.
The Falcons were not ones to break Zellbrigen. The Lyrans learned quickly to keep track of their 'Mech and tank numbers so as to know just how many Falcon 'Mechs would be firing, and how many wouldn't. Including the tanks, they had one more than them, meaning one of the three reinforcements would be opening fire to match their number. According to Clan doctrine, anyway. They tended to assign two enemy tanks per BattleMech.
Or maybe the two Ullers that have been pursuing us will break off and all three reinforcement 'Mechs will open up, since they'll be fresh. And I'm willing to bet a lot heavier than those two scouts.
Hauptmann Lom Frapurtz' Company found itself defending the city of Jurgenstäd from the juggernaut that was the Clan invasion of the Inner Sphere. They had just fought a tactical retreat from the Eastern portion of the city and had just made it to a large town square. Unfortunately, the Lyran defenders were quickly becoming pinned-down in the square. With just over a lance of armor, five BattleMechs, and infantry assets that had regrouped in the square earlier, it was obvious that their position would soon be overrun by superior Clan OmniMechs.
Striding along the Eastern perimeter, Lom used his Hatchetman's autocannon to lay down fire at the two approaching Ullers that had followed them all the way. The two mechs split off in opposite directions, continuing their role as harassers, too afraid of a head-on conflict.
Tym O'Conell ran his Enforcer alongside two Archers and the group of tanks as they headed toward the center of the square.
“Tym, take the Demolishers and blow that bridge!”
“On it.” said Tym, curtly.
Tym's Enforcer began moving across the square toward the Western edge, not waiting for the slower-moving Demolishers.
Lom knew that the three Omnis coming over the bridge weren't their only concern. Four BattleMechs were approaching from the North, and what Lom could only guess was their fifth member, a Gladiator, was making its way toward the square from the South.
Surrounding us. Interesting. Just what do these Clanners want from us? Why this world, these people?
Lom was not going to allow the invaders to take over the square. This city, this planet, belonged the Lyran people and he would go down defending it from these Mongols.
“Archers! Turn South and concentrate your fire on that Gladiator. Donovan, take your Hussar to the Museum roof and spot for them. Armor! I want the Zhukov's and Von Luckner's to the Northern perimeter, engage that partial star. Sergent Deno, is your infantry in position?”
“Yes, Sir. We have a wide field of fire from the top floor of the East office buildings and look forward to giving your pursuers a surprise, Sir.”
“Prepare to open fire on that pair of Ullers whenever they are in range, they're coming around for another volley. You are weapons-free. Tym, give me an update on that bridge.”
“We've arrived and have commenced firing at the support pylons, this shouldn't take long. Enemy 'Mechs have made it halfway across the bridge and we are taking fire.” replied Tym.
Although he lacked much of a viewpoint from the opposite side of the square, he could see fire coming from the Demolisher's cannons and slugs spraying out from what he assumed was Tym behind a building. The 'Mechs coming across appeared as tiny blurs, but he could plainly make out ruby-red laser beams and air distortions from gauss slugs. It was clear that his team was taking heavy fire for their efforts.
Back in the square, the infantry platoons had opened fire out of the windows of the top floor and were focused on riddling the first light scout 'Mech with holes as the pair came around the corner. They weren't expecting the infantry. A dozen laser turrets run by gunner teams and sixteen troopers in exo-suits mounting manpack PPCs washed the cityscape with deadly energy. The manpacks lined up along the blown-out windows, driving man-made lightning bolts into the nearest scout Omni.
Both Uller's adjusted their targeting reticules and unloaded multiple laser and LB-X cluster bursts into the top floor. Most shots went wide and sprayed over the floors below or the sky above, but two PPC infantrymen were torn up along with a laser gun crew that simply vanished when a laser beam crossed their path. Short range missiles blew holes through the floor and sent plumes of fire up in front of the open windows.
As the infantry's painfully accurate shots continued to rain down into them, the first one's leg locked up at the hip and it couldn't slow down in time. Skidding into an adjacent building, it drilled straight into the lobby. An explosion rocked the bottom floor, gouts of fire and metal shards ushering out of the 'Mech-sized hole.
The infantry-manned laser turrets and manpack PPC's continued firing at the remaining Uller until it turned the corner, running down a side street. It was attempting a flank of the square.
Hauptmann Frapurtz pressed both firing buttons on his stick and watched the glittering rounds fire down range, catching the Uller straight on in the torso, just as it had come back into view. At the same time, the infantryman with the manpacks made their way to the roof and layed-down suppressing fire, occasionally slicing into the evading BattleMech. The Uller could not remain in the area without taking its lumps. It let off its LBX bursts at the soldiers on the roof to keep their heads down long enough for the Mechwarrior to maneuver around the side of the building. Beads of white-hot cluster rounds shredded men and women in twain and easily reduced the specialty squad to half. 
Pieces of bodies were thrown through the air, blood and gore slamming into their fellow squad mates.
As the Uller rounded the far corner, completing its trip around the multi-block office complex, it suddenly jolted from a head-on wave of portable laser fire. The infantry had taken up position on the opposite wing of the building in the full minute the PPC squad had bought them. As blast after blast of laser fire rained down on it, the Falcon 'Mech began to stagger under the excessive damage it was taking. The surviving six PPC specialists ran to the edge of the south facing ledge and took aim. The Uller fired its Streak SRM and pulse lasers, raking the upper floors with explosions and scalpels of pure energy. Four men manning the laser turrets disintegrated, another three were blown apart by missile explosions.
Six azure beams from the rooftop lanced into the escaping OmniMech, slicing the left leg free and detonating the ammo in the right torso. The pilot went unconscious, his body slammed against the inside of the cockpit as the 'Mech grounded at high velocity.
The reloading cycle in Captain Tym O'Conell's autocannon finished, showing green on his HUD. Targeting the final strand of the sixth pylon, he pressed the firing stud and watched a stream of shells pour out of the arm-mounted weapon. One-after-another impacted the brick-encased steel pillars, punching through the weakened supports until the bridge that they held up gave way. With a monstrous roar, the steel pylons twisted and severed as the bridge broke free. The once flat structure now twisted under the stress as it dived into the river below.
“The bridge is out! Falcons are hitting the water. That's a Daishi, Loki, and MadCat. See you in Hell!” announced Tym.
“Well done. Get back here and support the armor to the north. Donovan, I'm coming to assist with that Gladiator.” Lom said.
“Yes, Sir!” said the Hussar pilot from his perch on the museum roof.
To the south, the Gladiator jumped and dodged the incoming LRM fire with amazing agility. Groups of fives splashed the buildings all around it, some peppering the assault 'Mech's armor plating. Every twenty seconds or so the Hussar would unleash a large laser blast, attempting to find the weak spot in the armor that would bring down the deadly 'Mech.
The 'Mech is taking it's share of damage, that's for sure. But is it enough for what I have in mind? It's only 400 meters out. Now or never.
“Archers, no more indirect fire. Unload only when you have clear line of sight.” ordered Lom.
Along the northern perimeter, Tym and the Demolishers had set up alongside the rest of the armor. The attacking partial star consisted of two Thors, a Loki, and a Black Hawk. All of which unleashed a fury of lasers and autocannon fire, decimating buildings, trees, and many of the monuments that the armor tenuously used for cover. They charged down the narrow street at full speed, stopping for nothing.
The Black Hawk traced fire over a Von Luckner, ripping through the turret and turning the crew to liquid. Then, one of the Demolisher's treads blew out while it tried moving to a better position further down. It was stuck in no-man's land. The Thor responsible continued firing, battering the side armor with LRM and PPC fire.
Tym ran his Enforcer across to an area not far away from the damaged tank, unleashing auto slugs and laser bursts at the Falcon 'Mech while it continued firing at its target. The shots found a single home and the OmniMech's left arm blew off, the LB-X housed in it discharged, peppering the torso and head of the Loki behind him. The Loki shook bad enough that it careened through multiple ground cars until it slammed into a store front; scratched, but not seriously damaged.
It was the damaged Demolisher that delivered the death blow to the one-armed 'Mech. With perfect accuracy, a wall of rounds poured from the guns, tearing open the already softened OmniMech's right torso, shredding the internals. With so much force concentrated in one area, the Thor lost all balance and collapsed in the middle of the street, black smoke pouring from the torso.
The victory by the Demolisher was short lived, however, when the Black Hawk pumped a half dozen medium lasers in the damaged tank's side, detonating the ammo from within. The massive explosion blew apart the nearest monumental statues on either side and caused Tym's Enforcer to shake.
Twin Zhukov's unleashed a storm of AC slugs and short-range missiles at the remaining Thor, blackening armor and giving it's long gait a pause. Another Von Luckner and the surviving Demolisher combined fire on the Black Hawk, slicing armor clean off. Returning fire, the Clan Omni's full compliment of medium lasers caved-in the front of the Demolisher and blew off the turret itself, but at a heavy cost: the Black Hawk was severely overheating. Very quickly the 'Mech's run turned into a painfully slow crawl with very sluggish movements and fire control. Tym saw an opportunity.
“Zhukovs: combine fire on the Black Hawk while it's slowed. I'll keep the other two's heads down.”
The three 'Mechs continued moving directly at their line, firing every step of the way, with the exception of the Black Hawk. All four tanks opened up as one and almost one-and-a-half tons of ammunition slammed into the clan medium 'Mech. The Falcons were not expecting that, tactics completely foreign to them. The BattleMech paid full price. It dissappeared behind a wall of smoke, with metal shards flying in all direction.
“Get ready, troops, their on top of us! Give them no quarter!” yelled Tym O'Conell.
On the opposite side of the square, the Gladiator took the last large laser hit that it would for this battle. While still striding forward, it's gauss rifle raised and let out a crack that shuddered throughout the battlefield at the moment the sound barrier was broken. The silvery slug hit the Hussar dead-on in his perch atop the large museum roof on the southwest end of the square. The slug shattered the torso and demolished the internal structure, but it was the dual large laser blasts that tore the BattleMech asunder.
The Gladiator stepped into the square.
Terry Salintz sat behind the controls of his Archer. Along with his fire team partner, Marcus Faullor, Terry fired his LRM racks and medium lasers at the Gladiator, one-hundred and fifty meters away. The missiles and lasers washed over the lumbering titan, yet did not slow it.
Out the side of his cockpit window, he watched laser fire erupt on the backside of his partner's back.
“What was that?” Marcus yelled, struggling to control his 'Mech.
Turning his mech to gain a better view, Terry saw twenty-five Clan battle armor troopers jumping down from a building to the west. By the time his medium lasers connected with two of the armored-troopers, they were within jumping range of his position.
Backing up from taking fire from the Gladiator, Hauptmann Frapurtz saw them too.
“Sergent Deno! Guns to the center of the square!. The Archers are being swarmed by Toads! Send what's left of your manpacks down to engage from up close.”
“They are on their way, Sir!” spat Sergent Deno.
As the six remaining PPC troopers arrived on the bottom floor, they spread throughout the courtyard, finding the best shot at the battle armor, without harming the Archers. On the top floor of the office building, the fifteen surviving laser turret troopers set up their guns, eight in all, on the west side of the office complex. They began firing down on the battle armor each time one came down from their jump or one of the Archers slapped one away as it leaped at them. Sgt. Deno could see they were blasting and tearing with their claws at the seventy-ton BattleMechs. He stepped up to the ninth gun turret he had just set back up and operated it solo. Pulling the slide back to ionize the chamber, he quickly began to fire on the Toads as they swarmed the seventy-ton 'Mechs.
Lom Frapurtz pushed his 45 ton Hatchetman forward, going from his first step to a powerful run, directly at the Gladiator. With his gaze locked on the massive war machine, he torso twisted just enough to allow his LB 10-X cannon and medium lasers to fire cluster shot and searing beams over two Elementals running toward Terry Salintz Archer. The beams connected, one each, smashing into the small bodies center mass. The massive pellets followed, ripping through their suits, mangling limb and torso alike. Injured, they crumpled to the ground.
Lom continued on, maneuvering Abschwung evasively, narrowly missing the large laser beam from the Clan 'Mech he was facing. Then he fired his jump jets just in time to avoid the gauss slug. He opened fire while still in the air with everything he had: Cannon, laser, and spite. The pock-marked assault Omni was still able to absorb it all.
The distance that the Inner Sphere 'Mech covered must have surprised the Falcon warrior because he didn't attempt to avoid the incoming Hatchetman. Lom descended on the assault 'Mech, slamming both hatchets with as much power as his 'Mech could muster into the heavily damaged chest of the giant Omni. Coming to a stop only when the rest of his 'Mech had ploughed into it, he fought to keep his balance.
A bit shaken, he regained his composure. He ducked around the 'Mech's flank, firing his mediums while on the run. He wasn't quite fast enough, though. The gauss rifle missed again, but the two large lasers found their mark, tearing his armor up on the right torso and the right leg. He staggered, narrowly avoiding a fall. His autocannon fired blindly, hitting nothing.
He was going to be annihilated at any moment by the massive firepower of the superior 'Mech.
About fifty meters away, the Archers continued to fight off the battle armor's attack.
“They're getting into the cockpit! They're getting into the cockpit!” yelled Marcus Faullor, from the command couch of his Archer. Ten Toads had swarmed his 'Mech, with one on the head. They were tearing the armor off with their razor-sharp claws. His BattleMech veered off in a stumbling run, headed across the courtyard to the west, taking the Clan battle armor with him.
Desperate, he slapped at the armor with the Archer's massive hands. Catching one on the torso, he sent it flying to the ground. But any sense of hope left him when he heard a thud, and checked his external camera feed, signifiying that two more had leaped onto his machine from the rear. His attention was grabbed by a scraping above his head.
A metal claw pulled back a piece of armor from the head, and was starting to try and widen it enough to fit the clawed arm through. Faullor knew he wouldn't survive if that Elemental got inside, and ejecting with the Elemental was not an option. His left arm lost all power. He knew that he could possibly smack the battle trooper off his cockpit and eject, but he had an opportunity to take out half the battle armor troopers.
He triggered a preset command code on the computer. Reaching down blindly, he pulled a panel near his feet open and begin to feel for the heavily-secured circuit board that regulated the magnetic field around his 'Mech's fusion plant. Finding it, he twisted it free, ripping cords loose.
With the command code disengaging the back up systems, the magnetic field destabilized, creating uneven magnetic bursts all over the 'Mech. The battle armor found themselves magnetically adhered to the Archer's surface. With a loud buzz, then a pop, the plant's fusion energy erupted. The BattleMech and Clan Elementals disintegrating under waves of blue-tinted, super-heated plasma that expanded once exposed to atmosphere. Not one survived.
“Bravo Squad, switch targets, open fire! Fire, fire, fire!” screamed Sergent Deno, shielding his eyes from the blast. He had just sniped the remaining Toad from Salintz' Archer.
The beast that the Clans call an Executioner, pointed the barrel of its gun arm at Lom's cockpit. Helplessly watching, Lom expected to die.
At that moment, Faullor's 'Mech went up in its fusion blast, too quickly for the Clanner's advanced viewing system to shield his eyes. The torso of the assault 'Mech twisted away from the blast, throwing the 95-tonner's shots wild, reducing the office building nearest to Lom to rubble. 
The six remaining PPC infantrymen rushed in on the blinded 'Mech, opening fire from ninety meters away, punching holes all over the heavily damaged armor. The medium lasers and LRM flights came in over the infantry's head, ripping the rest of the Gladiator's armor from it's center torso, section by section. Terry Salintz' Archer survived the remaining Toads' short-lived attack in piece and decided to repay the Falcons for the death of his friend.
Lom sprang his Hatchetman into action. Carefully aiming his weapons, he fired his medium lasers and autocannon into it's heart. With a loud pop, black smoke poured from the chest cavity, blackening the sky above it. Lom powered his 'Mech forward into a run, diminished by the damage his machine's leg had taken, once again driving straight for the assault-class Falcon 'Mech. Just before he would have collided, Lom executed a clockwise spin. Holding both hatchets horizontally, the same direction, they shredded through the mid section of the towering monstrosity with incredible force. As it fell onto it's side, the top half ripped loose, completely sheared in two. Crumpled on the ground, the pilot was knocked unconscious.
Stepping his machine backward to catch his breath, he surveyed the carnage of the battlefield.
“Faullor gave his life for me.” Salintz said.
“We all saw what he did. If I have any say, he will be remembered as the Hero of Valton Square. Tym, what's your status?”
“Secure, Sir. The rest of the star is destroyed, but at a high price.”
“We're falling back to the south. We need to rendezvous with command, then punch through the enemies main lines to thwart this invasion.”
------
3064
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
Lom Frapurtz pushed his Hatchetman hard as he raced down the streets to get to Kurt Forrest's position. He could see long-range missiles exploding in the air several blocks away. He knew he was heading in the right direction.
“Kurt, how you doing?” he asked, stepping over a ground car parked along the street.
“I'm pulling back, watch for me.” MechWarrior Forrest replied.
At that moment, the Hauptmann watched as his lancemate soared through the air, bursting into his field of vision against the bluish-green sky, then vanishing behind a block of tall office buildings.
“You o.k.?” he asked.
“Jah. Engine took a hit, but not from that Sum'ner. It was an Uller, tore up my rear armor good with a gauss slug and knocked the shielding out of sync on my reactor.”
“We should have suspected as much. The Falcons and Wolves have learned from their first invasion. They seem to have little inhibition about combining fire or sniping. I suppose that evens it up a bit then, yeah?”
“Jah, I'm still running hot. What are my orders, Sir?” Kurt asked.
“I'll deal with the Thor, you find that Uller and tear it apart, then get back here and pull my metal out of the fire.”
Hauptmann Frapurtz suddenly realized he had forgotten about the audior ecording he had brought with him. Listening to it helped him force out the buzz and whine of machine sound around him and focus.
He started the playback on his comm gear.
------
3059
Draconis Combine
May twenty-ninth. Still aboard the Davion jumpship Star Stutter. My unit, the Fedcom Regulars, has been chosen to be apart of Task Force Bulldog. Although I have serious reservations about Prince Victor Davion, he will lead us into battle personally and we shall follow. Perhaps to our deaths. The Smoke Jaguars have been in the Inner Sphere long enough, and this year we will drive them out.
June third. I met Phelan Kell in a ship-to-ship conference call between the top brass and all company commanders. When he asked what it was like being the Hero of Valton Square, I didn't even realize he was talking about me. I told him that there were a lot of heroes of Valton Square, but none of them could answer his question. He told me that heroes survive a battle, legends are the ones who die. His eyes seemed haunted as he spoke those words. I feel much closer to him than that snob of a prince that leads us.
June fifteenth. Our forces dropped on Edo nine hours ago. My unit was sent to the city of Ning alongside two binaries of Wolf armor with infantry support and a company of Kell Hound 'Mechs. There were no objectives. There were no key places to attack or take over. There were no rules. We flooded the city and wiped out all Jaguars we came across.
June sixteenth. We finished our assault on the Jaguar-held city of Ter'im. The results were catastrophic. The losses great. Mangled hulls of Wolf tanks and Jaguar 'Mechs lay strewn across the battlefield in the dozens. Kell Hound 'Mechs suffered heavy damage and lost three machines entirely. Our own machines are severely butchered. Our greatest personal loss, however, was Terry Salintz.
Terry served under me since Apollo and stayed on as a Regular after that. He died honorably and with the utmost bravery I have ever seen on the battlefield, save for his former partner, Marcus Faullor, back on Apollo. The torso on Terry's Archer was severely ripped apart in the front and the ammo feed mechanism to his long-range missiles had been severed. In a final, desperate attack, Terry charged a Jaguar position held by a Daishi and a Marauder IIC, both damaged and lacking their full compliment of weapons. The Daishi's laser array set off the LRM ammo at point blank range as his seventy ton machine barreled into the much larger 'Mech. Both 'Mechs were engulfed in several tons of concentrated explosives that detonated in the paper-thin space between the armor plates of the rival titans. Nothing remained of the Archer, but the front half of the Daishi was sheered off as armor, structure, and myomer melted and blew out in a corona of molten slag. Including the cockpit.
Tym and I concentrated fire on the surviving Marauder...
----
3064
Jade Falcon Occupational Zone
Abschwung rounded the corner, expecting to find the Thor that had engaged Kurt Forrest's Vindicator only minutes ago. His screen became static. His recording faded out.
Interference from somewhere?
Suddenly, the Thor came out of an alleyway, firing it's Particle Projector Cannon straight at his 'Mech. Without any notice, Lom was unable to dodge the blast. His left torso cracked open as the particle stream disintegrated sections of armor.
Lom pushed his Hatchetman into a full run, firing off his medium lasers just before he ducked down a side street. Abschwung caught a few rounds from the Clanner's LB-X, but nothing serious.
He intended to wait for the Thor to pursue before he made his next move.
No need to wade into its fire. Again.
Purely out of instinct, Lom's Hatchetman leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding a flight of LRM's that detonated into the side of the building that was on his left. He landed on top of a two story building, swinging his main gun around behind him in anticipation.
He didn't have long to wait, the Thor came to rest on a roof one-hundred and fifty meters away. They exchanged fire simultaneously. The ER PPC beam, cluster shot and LRM's came down all around him, with the azure beam from the Particle Projector Cannon slicing through the armor on his pristine leg. The missiles and LB-X shot did little but help polish off the remaining armor. His own cannon fire found it's target, spearing the Thor in the right arm, with his medium lasers drilling into the center torso.
I've got to come up with something soon. Can't let myself get hunted down like this. Where are the mercs when you need them?
“(static)...Frapurtz, are you reading? I repeat, Lieutenant Frapurtz, are you reading?” said a woman's voice in his com.
Frapurtz jumped Abschwung into the air again.
-----
3063
Tholymacchus
Periphery
Six steel guard towers formed a hexagonal-shaped perimeter, the base being one-hundred and eighty meters across, that stretched across a very dusty, arid landscape. It looked as though it had originally meant to be a field headquarters long ago.
“So this is our new assignment, eh?” asked Tym O'Conell.
“Jah. Is roomy, would you not say so, Sir?” responded MechWarrior Kurt Forrest.
“It'll do. We have work to do. Now let's get our things off the dropper and get a good look at this place. Looks like the welcoming party is arriving.” Lom Frapurtz said.
Multiple tin-roof hangers stretched over large portions of the sandy terrain, each able to hold up to twenty-four combat vehicles. The newly constructed BattleMech hangar towered above all other buildings. To the right of it was a paved walkway, and on it approached a half dozen military-looking personnel.
 No doubt going to try to one-up us, letting us know who is in charge.
Out of the group that approached, a bald man roughly in his seventies was in the lead. He spoke first.
“I am Delvin Miles, Grandmaster of the Armies of Tholymacchus. Welcome!” He said as he extended his hand. He was bald and wore a very jubilant face.
 Taking the hand in a firm grip, Lom returned the courtesy, “I am Hauptmann Lom Frapurtz, my partner, Captain Tym O'Conell, and Leutenant Kurt Forrest. I trust you have room for the new equipment coming in over the next few days?”
“You mean the machines that will create for us the army that I have been a Grandmaster of for so many years? Yes, of course! A real military force! Can you imagine it, Officer Dayspring?” He looked at a very attractive brunette when he said the last part.
Lom reached out suddenly and took her hand, kissing the back of it in true Lyran genteel form.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Dayspring. I've read the brief on you. Intelligence Officer.” he said, releasing her hand.
“Miss. I'm not married...well, if you're not addressing me by rank, of course, I just...oh, nevermind, Sir.” She looked at the ground, her face flushed red. The Grandmaster laughed and Lom had to give out a few hard stares to keep Tym and Kurt in line.
Charlotte was in her early thirties and beautiful. As a native of the planet, she joined the military early in life and became an officer, serving the post as their only information officer.
The group began to walk on a tour of the compound, with Delvin pointing out everything that he could, explaining each detail with pride.
“So you keep your fuel sources here, inside the perimeter?” Tym asked.
“Oh, yes, right over there in fact, although we have to take certain precautions because of the heat.” the Grandmaster added.
On the other side of the compound, large, silver-colored tarps protected massive fuel tanks from the sun's heat. Just past that was the garage, or chop-shop as Delvin called it.
“We will need to inspect your 'Mech gantries that you built before we can begin to offload the war machines themselves, Mr.Miles.” said Lom.
“Of course! Back this way.”
------
“I know we're just military advisors, but the farms all over the Northern plateau need those irrigators. No one expected this drought! I mean, I know this planet is quite the dust-ball, but this is bad even for here. What exactly is the problem, anyways?” said Tym.
“The military-ran government of Absalom II won't sell them for any less, Tym. They're original price was inflated, but after they found out about our planet's drought, they raised the price even more. We can never purchase the rest at this rate, and the planetary government won't cut anymore funds from other areas to cover the higher price.” said Lom.
“That system's government...it's corrupt anyways. We could play Robin Hood, you know. Take 'em. They aren't going to use them, they stocked them just to ransom the things to us.”
“That's illegal! Two wrongs can't make a right.” said Lom.
“No, but we have families that will be dying if we don't act. It's a war by another name. A Capitalist war, Lom.”
After a long silence, Lom said, “We won't be able to use our own 'Mechs. The FedCom models are too well marked in case we are captured.”
“They have nothing that can seriously stop a 'Mech. It'll be a blue milk run.”
“Sir, from what we know from previous invoices, they are housing the irrigator moisture systems in three separate warehouses, maybe more. We should probably hit each one if we have time to ensure we have enough.” said Charlotte Dayspring, walking up behind the two men.
“I see. I take it you're in, Leutenant Dayspring?” asked Lom.
“Absolutely.” she replied.
“And what do we tell Delvin?” asked Lom.
“Off-world training exercise, of course.” concluded Tym.
In preparation, the team had their techs throw together the salvaged 'Mechs that the Lyran Commonwealth sent them from time-to-time, courtesy of Adam Steiner. Lom chose an unequipped Hatchetman chassis, which he refitted with a second hatchet. He didn't bother to have them install the medium-range lasers. They wouldn't need them.
Funny, I was planning on using this for spare parts for my own Hatchetman.
Tym decided on a scrubbed-up Locust while Charlotte Dayspring would pilot a spare Catapult, her usual mech of choice. Kurt had no problem having the techs get a classic Rifleman-3N operational for his use. A platoon of mechanized infantrymen would secure the irrigators they would procure.
As Tym began prepping their dropship they would use for launch, all he could think was how nothing could possibly go wrong.
-----
3063
Absalom II
Periphery
The sun was still high in the sky, and the smell of burnt plastic and hot metal clung in Lom's nose. The combat had only been over for a minute, and he was the last one to be tied up by a tall dark-skinned mercenary, the Griffin pilot. The thought of escaping did flit through his throbbing head, but only briefly. The giant 6R Warhammer watched over its dismounted friend, and Lom's three bound and seated cohorts.
Not quite a 6R. It didn't have any machine guns but too many lasers, and it never fired the shoulder launcher even once while it had taken the Hatchetman down in close combat. It looked ordinary, but that was no 6R. Not much chance in facing a 'Mech twenty-five tons heavier, anyways.
For a moment, he wondered if he would ever get to see the pilot.
As his hands were worked into plastic zip-binds, Lom recovered his faculties. 
"Please," he said quietly to his captor. The black man stepped away and waved with his side-arm for Lom to sit. He complied, all while making his plea. "We need that equipment. A lot of people may not make it without it."
"Warten sie! I recognize you," Kurt Forrest said, tied up and seated next to Frapurtz. "Hey, Lom. He was there during the Clan Invasion, he's one of us." Looking back up at the merc, he asked, "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"
Lom perked up with interest. Now that he looked closer, watching the black mercenary while he stared down at the prisoners, he did see a recognizable face in the grim mask. Just barely. They had met, only in passing. 
"Come on, man. You are Lyran. You know who this is? This is Lom Frapurtz! Hatch! Where's your national pride? You have to help us."
The black man's grim mask turned into a scowl. In two quick strides, he was over, standing in front of Forrest, glaring down at him. Jaw working, he took a few seconds before bending over to stare angrily, mere inches away.
"Don't you ever accuse me of not being a patriot," he hissed horsely.
Standing upright, he backed away. For a few more seconds, he stared down at the dirt, his grim, dark gaze distant. 
"Then why don't you help us?" Lom asked.
"Do you think I want to be here?" the merc asked. "If it weren't for what happened in the invasion, I would be there right now! Watching my country rip itself apart, and not being able to do anything about it doesn't... it doesn't sit well. But, I can't go back. My record means that nobody back there would take me. And, if I went home, I'd be locked away by my family in a fit of over-protectiveness. I can't do anything about it!
"But, you! You could be there. You could be doing something. You could be saving lives. Mitigating..." the merc paused in his rant, taking a deep breath. More calmly, but no less pointedly, he continued. "You abandoned your country by choice. And for what? A new cause? Helping a poor defenseless world that can barely feed itself by making other people in the same boat miserable?
Lom wanted to mention that he was stationed on Thrasymacchus for Lyran interests, but he knew it was bad enough that they even knew who they were.
"Yeah, I know who you are. Your defense of Jurgenstäd on Apollo was inspiring. Maybe a little too inspiring. But I also know your reputation. You're Thwap Hatch! Mister 'Social Conscience'. This farming equipment is important to you? It will save lives? Then, why the raids? You can't tell me you had no other choice." Casey waved his hand around at the surrounding landscape, the surrounding planet. "What happened to you, man? You're a hero! I expected better from you."
“I didn't drive my hatchet into the heart of both Clan and criminal to come out here and watch innocents suffering from dictators and CEO's power games. Yes, I busted into their warehouses. No one was hurt. In fact, our intel told us you mercs should have dusted off a month ago, a full three weeks before we arrived.” said Lom.
The merc fell silent. With a sigh he turned away. For a few long seconds nobody seemed to find any more words to say. But, it was the merc who spoke up.
"I can't let you take the equipment. It's not my place. It's not my stuff you stole. And, I won't let you go, either. I... have to do what's right. If... there were any real justice in the world at all, we would never have been here. Not like this. But, you made your choice. You committed a crime.. It's not my place to grant you mercy, or a second chance. I leave that to the people the equipment belongs to."
-----
It was a sad sign of just how poor this world really was based on the jail they were holed up in. They were in a cinder block jail separated by bars. Good, old fashioned, steel bars with a giant lock on the door. In constant need of grease, they were the kind that squealed open and shut with a loud clang. Even the cots were no more simpler than a steel frame with interwoven springs. Whatever they used for fabric and stuffing made Lom's skin itch. Probably on purpose.
After being hauled in and booked, Lom had all day to think long and hard about what the merc, the ex-Lyran, said. The sky grew dark outside, and the jailer soon turned out the lights. All the while, Lom started to wonder why he had failed today. Had he gone wrong? And if so, where?
Soon, his lance-mates started to breath heavy, deep in sleep. But he couldn't. His mind went over and over these thoughts, wondering what he could possibly do to redeem himself. Rotting in prison looked to be the only certain way. His heart failed at the thought. His mind went back to the people, and the irrigators. Somebody had to do something, or people would starve to death soon. If they didn't first die of thirst.
He couldn't give up. 
A sudden, soft noise, alien in the relative silence, perked his ears. Sitting up, Lom listened harder. There it was again, coming from the guard room beyond the only door to the cell block. For a moment, it almost sounded like a fight. A very quiet fight. 
He looked to the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was going on in the light through the tiny square window. Suddenly a shadow passed in front, blocking out the light and casting the jail into darkness. Then electronics whirred and beeped, and the door swung open. Someone stood in the doorway, a giant shadow back lit by the hall beyond. 
Only taking a second to look around, the stranger strolled in. As he got nearer, the light from the hall started to light features. This man was dressed in strange civilian clothes that looked slightly military. But it couldn't have been a uniform. Lom didn't recognize it. 
The other three prisoners quickly awoke, drowsy and confused.
Quickly, the stranger went purposefully to one door, opening it forcefully. Lom stared at the back of the man's short, sandy-brown hair, trying to recall where he had seen this man before. But, nothing registered. Not even after the young man turned and looked into the cell with his blue eyes. 
Lom didn't know this young man. Yet, like an angel, he came in and opened the prison doors, setting them all free. As the door whined open, he stepped back, covering all four stunned, motionless MechWarriors with his blue gaze. 
"They haven't found your dropship, yet." he said in a strong tenor. "You can still escape. I took care of the guards. You're free. Go."
He didn't wait. Quickly, quietly, he was out the door and down the hall. Nobody had time to thank him. Nobody had thought to thank him. 
Still confused, the four looked at each other. A nod from Lom got everyone on their feet, and they quickly followed their mysterious savior. However, he was gone. Out in the darkness of the night, there was no sign he had been. Following his cue, they quickly fell into the shadows and slipped out of town.
One detail would always return to haunt Lom. When opening the heavy barred doors, their hero never used any keys.
-----
3063
Tholymacchus
Periphery
Lom Frapurtz and Tym O'Conell stood in the center of their large outpost on the arid dusty plain.
At the moment, however, it was the Command Center that they found themselves looking at, Knowing they would have to brief their command staff on what had transpired.
“That could have gone worse...” offered Tym
“Don't even start.” replied Lom.
“Either way, we still need to get those irrigators to seventy-five percent of the farms on this plateau. That's what, thirty-thousand people or so?”
“I don't know what we are going to do.” said Tym.
“General Frapurtz, Sir!” a skinny Corporal came out the doors of the command post to meet them.
“Yes, Corporal?”
“An unknown JumpShip came in at a pirate point and released a Union. The commander of the vessel is wishing to speak to you.”
“Who? Is the Sultan launching another raid?” asked Tym.
“It's too soon, after last time he'll need months to repair and rearm. No, the fact that they made their presence known doesn't fit with any hostile force.”
A few minutes later the three of them were standing in front of a screen. On it was what appeared to be a woman in her early thirties dressed in military fatigues.
“This is General Lom Frapurtz of the Continental Military Command. How may I assist you?”
“General. I am Enda Wolf, commander of the Rafzakael Mercenary Squad. We are scheduled to be picked up in two days by a Kell Hounds jumpship. But in the meantime we are in need of some basic supplies. Could we restock at your military station?”
“Affirmative, Commander Enda. Please keep in mind that any hostile actions will give cause for immediate termination. That being said, I look forward to your visit. It can get lonely out here.”
“Well bargained and done, see you in the better part of a day. Enda out.”
-------
On one side of the long mess hall-style table sat Enda and her mercenaries. Lom Frapurtz sat directly across from her. To either side was Tym O'Conell, and Charlotte Dayspring. Kurt Forrest was seated on the other side of Charlotte.
Across from Tym was a man in his late twenties with dyed neon-blue hair buzzed short. He wore a decorative blue metal chest plate with a blood-red skull on the front. Lom later found out that his name was Arctureus. Across from Charlotte was a tall man with dark black hair and a very somber face, approximately thirty-five. He was introduced as Markus, a Solaris jockey who had proven himself in combat. Beside him sat two even more serious looking men. Roderik and Bohan.
He could tell the two were Clan just by looking at them. He was beginning to suspect that of Enda as well, hearing the way she spoke. But he had no intentions of making trouble for anyone.
On the other end sat a young blond-haired 'Mechwarrior in his twenties. His mercenary patch had a picture of some kind of animal with horns and a snout that the others did not have. As he was introduced only as “Goat”, Lom wondered what secret he was hiding that he went by a false identity like that. Beside him seated comfortably was a man in his late twenties with short black hair wearing glasses. His name was Douglaz, their Packhunter pilot.
Finally, he had to ask the question.
“Can you say where your mission taking you?”
Everyone in the room turned their attention to the conversation immediately.
“Khan Phelan Kell is launching an offensive against the Jade Falcon Occupation Zone in tandem with Archer Christifori and Adam Steiner. We are a part of that force.” Enda said.
Adam? Haven't heard from him since I got here. And Christifori? I served with him on Huntress. Last I heard, he retired to Odessa, taking control of their militia.
“But how does that involve you? Does Phelan need mercs to bolster his forces?” asked Tym, a sly smile on his face.
“Not exactly. He is too proud to ask for help. Too Clan. But you can say that we are old acquaintances. We used to be his clansmen. My lover bought our freedom with his blood. He died when his clan died, you could say. Phelan has been following our exploits ever since and has asked to see our abilities first hand.” Enda concluded.
“I don't quite understand anything when it comes to the Clans, but that sounds a bit harsh if you ask me.” fired Charlotte, speaking up for the first time, but with a bit more venom in her words than appropriate.
Is Charlotte jealous of a new female command figure, or something else?“We are what we are.” replied Enda, face emotionless.
“How could you trust him, not to do what he did to your other lance mate?” asked Tym.
“We were Clan. His word is his bond. Besides, we would never have escaped the ARDC without his turning a blind eye.”
“Well, I have no idea what anything you just said means. And that's fine. Less I know about them, the better.” said Lom.
“You fought, then? The Invasion?” Roderik asked, also speaking for the first time.
“Yes.”
“How many?” he pressed further.
“How many what?”
“Kills. How many did you take down?”
“I wasn't counting. Shots were all over the battlefield. I don't like to think about it.”
“Nine.” said Forrest.
“What?” asked Frapurtz, surprised.
“You had nine tactical kills, Sir. I had a total of three.” Forrest clarified.
“Then you truly are a Warrior, Captain Frapurtz.” said Roderick.
“Like I said, I don't like to think about it. I don't derive my self-esteem from killing. I simply did my duty when my nation needed me. As I continue to do...”
“Do I get to count the ones on the bridge? At least one of the Thors was my doing, too.” added Tym.
“Tym!” interjected Lom, slapping the steel table with his palm.
“Sorry.” he said, sheepishly.
Enda watched the dialogue with interest.
“Which reminds me, is there any talent to recruit from here? Yes, I'm serious. We are one lance short of filling back out to company-strength. The pay is beyond good as long as they're up to par.” Enda stated.
Tym looked over at Lom. Lom looked over at Tym. Charlotte just shook her head in disbelief.
-----
“You're really thinking about it, aren't you?” Charlotte asked.
“Possibly retaking the Occupation Zone? That's big. It would ensure that the Falcons can never threaten my people again, Charlotte.”
They were standing alone outside the main complex, looking out at the dunes bathed in the glow of three of the planets' four moons. They had spent many nights out here. She would look up at the night sky as Lom would tell her of the adventures he had been on, the battles he'd won. Victories turned from hopeless situations. All for his love of the Lyran people. She knew deep down that love went far beyond any ties he had to this place, to his people here. As much as he would disagree she knew better.
“So that's it? What has your time here meant, then? You have accomplished so much directing our military without any political resistance to stop you from doing what was right. That has to count for something.”she said.
“Of course it does. Your military must take what we have taught them and stand on it's own. When the next invasion comes from the Sultan's private army, the full regiment will have no trouble repelling – even defeating them - forever. I have done all that I can do and now I'm needed elsewhere.
“But what I want to know is how that Clanner, Roderik, knew my Lyran rank.”
“What?” she asked.
“You didn't catch it? He called me “Captain” Frapurtz. The FedSuns equivalent, sure, but, nonetheless, too close to be coincidence. Especially since I used the rank of 'general of the continental command' when I introduced myself.”
-----
The morning's sunlight shone into the screenless windows of the command center. Lom, Tym, and Charlotte were standing around a tactical display table, a hex grid laid out on it. Enda and Arctureus had just walked in.
“Enda, we find ourselves in need of eight dozen field irrigators, you know, the kind that pull moisture from the air and deliver it to the roots of the plants under the soil. If you could help us attain them, then we may have a business proposition for you , in return.” Lom asked.
“I have a war to fight, not crops to grow. Just what could you offer me?” she asked.
Tym O'Conell thought that maybe she knew more than she was letting on. Betrayed by the tone of her voice.
“You don't understand. We are offering you our assistance.” Tym said.
“Ah, as periphery privateers wanting a shot at some big 'Sphere action once again?” she asked.
“As MechWarriors of the Federated Commonwealth.” Lom clarified.
Enda's face remained emotionless, non-reactive.
Clanner.
“There is no FedCom.” said Arctureus.
“I am Hauptmann Lom Frapurtz of the Federated Commonwealth. This is my lance mate Captain Tym O'Conell. We are here in exile, avoiding the butchery that the Federated Commonwealth is doing to itself. But to not return now would be the same as to let the Jade Falcons slaughter our people. We are here only as advisors to, not members of, the Tholymaccian government.”
Enda's stone face broke into a slight smile, then a laugh. Seemingly more of relief than humor.
“Phelan was quite wrong. You will come along. They doubted you were the Lyran you were when you left.” Enda said
Tym and Lom exchanged glances.
-----
The 'Mechs walked their way up the loading ramp of the Union as the hot sun gave no mercy. Lom stood in the hangar, looking at Abschwung. He felt good about himself. He had completed his service to this backwater system as diplomat and trainer and now prepared to turn over the command of their key military strategic operations over to somebody he had trained himself, a young officer in their military named Braddock J'Mess. As he took hold of the first rung of the ladder to the cockpit, a hand unexpectedly reached out and grabbed his shoulder.
He spun quickly out of training more than surprise, dropping back down to the floor, and came face-to-face with Charlotte Dayspring.
“Leutenant” he said
“Hauptmann.” she replied, using his Lyran rank.
“You have something to say?” he knew there was. He just didn't want to be the first to say it.
“You know there is. You just don't want to be the first to say it.” she told him.
Unbelievable.
“I'm not letting you go without me.” Without letting him argue with her, she added, “I've proven myself an able pilot. What I lack in experience I make up for in spontaneity and adaptation on the battlefield. You need a fourth person and I'm coming with you.”
“Is that all, Lieutenant Dayspring?”
She paused before speaking, looking him deeply in his eyes. “I love you. I love you Lom Frapurtz.”
He stroked her cheek, returning her deep stare. “Which will give me all the more reason to return here safely when this is over...” he tried.
“We both know you're not coming back. I won't lose you.”
Lom Frapurtz had taken on a Gladiator in his Hatchetman, fought pirates, large jungle animals with only his Lyran combat knife, but none was deadlier than a Periphery love. Lom knew this battle was a surrender at best.
He grabbed her suddenly and pulled her mouth to his in a kiss that seemed to last an eternity.
Now I plunge myself back into the heart of war.
-----
3064
Jade Falcon Occupational Zone
“I'm in sector 004 by a massive library, Enda. Under fire by a Tho- a Summoner that won't lie down and die!” replied Lom.
A gout of what most would think was flame shot out across his field of vision and hit the oncoming Falcon OmniMech in the left arm. The already damaged appendage melted off at the upper arm actuator and dropped harmlessly to the ground.
ATM high explosive missiles pummeled the damaged Omni further, forcing him back into an alleyway.
“We called them Thors on Solaris, too” Enda said, pulling her Adder up beside his 'Mech. “Ready, Hatch?”
Lom fired his autocannon and medium lasers and watched entire sheets of armor drop off to the pavement below.
Lom Frapurtz took a breath. “Ready.”
The Summoner gaited sideways while torso-twisting to keep them sighted-in, firing the ER PPC and LRM 15.
Lom steered Abschwung hard to the left as missiles rained down around his 'Mech, avoiding the brunt of the volley.
Enda walked her 'Mech forward firing her weaponry into the center of mass. Her Adder's left arm spat a cylinder of white-hot plasma, lashing into the center torso of the OmniMech, followed by two bursts from Enda's flamers washing over the area. Finally, she toggled her ATM Type IX System. The high explosive ammunition swarmed over its torso, blowing armor off.
The Summoner returned fire entirely at her, stabbing into her OmniMech with an ER PPC that skinned the armor and some internal structure off her left arm. The LRMs rocked her 'Mech but were spread out enough that nothing serious was damaged.
That was all the opening Frapurtz needed. As the Thor unloaded on Enda, Lom jumped his 'Mech into the air onto a rooftop adjacent to the Falcon 'Mech. Dropping to the street below while the Clanner finished taking his shots, Abschwung was in position directly behind him. Sparks flew and metal rent as the hatchet carved open the weak rear armor.
No pop this time, I might have overplayed-
With a jerk, the Summoner torso twisted to the right. With a sweep of its remaining arm, Abschwung crashed into the side of the building. The impact jarred him hard enough to lose control of his 'Mech. Slamming on the controls, he watched the street rush up at his cockpit.
“Clanner! Over here you free-birth trash!” Kurt yelled over the external speakers of his Vindicator, goading the Warrior as he came down the street.
Taking aim, Enda pressed the firing stud on the joystick and another plasma cartridge shot through the air, catching the Clanner squarely in the right shoulder. The area glowed red momentarily, transferring the full amount of heat, then returned to normal color. 
Lom's world turned black. He slowly remembered where he was. In his 'Mech, on it's face. He tried to focus but the throbbing in his head was unberable. His eyes closed.
The Falcon turned to put his back to the building's wall, stepping over the downed Hatchetman. The Vindicator closed from the left, Enda's Adder from the right. Torso-twisting to the right, the Clanner's ER PPC and LRM Type XV fired into the oncoming Adder. Nine missiles tore most of her right torso armor off, while the ER PPC took off the rest of the center torso armor, leaving her engine defenseless.
Enda fought to keep control of the Clan light 'Mech, but ended up side-stepping Firebite into an office building across the street. Her 'Mech toppled through the steel-and-concrete structure, falling through the lobby into a lower floor. Her 'Mech lay crumpled and damaged, but she knew she could get it back up and into the fray.
At the same time, Kurt fired his own ER PPC and LRM Type V, the azure beam slicing deep into the Thor's torso on the leftside. The missiles went wide, smashing into the office building on the corner, the explosions going off over Firebite's head.
The Clanner lifted his BattleMech's foot, then quickly brought it down on Lom Frapurtz' immobile Hatchetman. The kick went through Abschwung's already destroyed torso armor and damaged the gyroscope. Turning his gaze to the oncoming Vindicator, he leveled his weapons at the approaching 'Mech. His heat was spiking due to the plasma weaponry, he let go a salvo of LRM's. Falling around the Liao 'Mech, the explosions shook Kurt in his cockpit. He began dialing in his own shots to return fire.
“Lom Frapurtz. We were told it was you. My binary followed your dropship in, knowing you would waste the garrison forces here without trouble. But after they were gone, it would be my turn to finally avenge the dishonor you gave to me twelve years ago. I lost my left arm in that battle as well.” came a voice from the external speakers of the machine.
Back to normal heat levels, the Clanner sent a particle projector cannon blast along with another salvo of long-range missile fire at the Vindicator, close range. Kurt's torso armor disappeared, knocking his 'Mech backward in mid stride. Losing control, it toppled backward, collapsing on the pavement.
Lom had awoken moments ago to Abschwung wrenching on the ground, then the sound of this Clanner's rant.
The Thor stepped on Abschwung's left arm, his hatchet / gun combo arm, smashing it off at the shoulder.
“I found myself charging a line of tanks, hoping to get to you before my Star Commander's Gladiator did. I was willing to die to take out the leader of the defenders of Valton Square. You were without honor! You needed to be crushed like an insect! But I fell. My beautiful Clan machine blasted open and left to lay in the rubble of the destroyed of buildings. Your bitter victory sent me to a garrison position! I fought and I fought until I had regained a part of my honor once more. Once more behind the controls of the mighty Summoner. And when you were seen leaving Black Earth, we followed you here, to this captured world. And it is here that you will die, treacherous dog.”
On his belly, Lom was able to see the Clanner walking around to the front of the cockpit.
He's going to stomp my 'pit?
“Lom, it's Enda. Do you read? Are you alive in there? I kind of need to know and quick.”
Lom knew this was his only chance to survive. Enda's 'Mech had just stood up in the rubble off to his right, down the rear of the Clanner's left side. The Summoner was about to land the killing blow, standing directly in front of him.
“If you can hear me, stay down! I'm going to try and fry him in the leg before he smashes you. Repeat; stay down!” she said.
Enda fired everything directly at the Summoner's leg as it slowly lifted into the air, but Lom was ready.
Hauptmann Frapurtz lifted his Hatchetman up off the pavement long enough to shield the enemy's leg as it hung in mid-air. With a loud hiss, he took the plasma rifle and two flamers in the right side of his torso. Just as the Clan 'Mech's foot came down on Abschwung, Lom triggered his jump jets.
The foot scraped the 45-tonner's back as he shot off the pavement, but with his Triple-Strength Myomer activating, he slammed into the Clanner's other leg. Like a tackle from the ancient North American game of Football, the Hatchetman took the BattleMech down at the hip, his hand and arm actuators closing the steely grip of his remaining arm around the appendage. In mid-air, the Thor flopped onto it's back, crashing into a pile of rubble; Abschwung was pinned under a massive leg.
Lom moved the hand and arm control stick, heat pulsing through the instruments. The Hatchetman's three-ton cleaver gave a sudden jerk, and tore down and in to the Thor's exposed backside. The ferrosteel blade hacking deep into the extra-lightweight fusion engine. With a pop, black smoke poured out, and the 'Mech relaxed as the myomer lost power.
“That was insane. Thoroughly insane, Hauptmann.” Enda said, almost to herself.
Carefully untangling his 'Mech from under his opponent, he brought Abshwung to its feet. While sweat beaded down his forehead, Lom dabbed at blood running down his forehead.
“They don't teach that at the Nagelring.” Hauptmann Frapurtz said.
“Just glad I could help out there at the end.” she said, still not believing what she just saw.
“Looks like you got him, Sir!” Kurt Forrest had righted his Vindicator and was walking his heavy machine toward them.
The cockpit to the Summoner popped open. Steam poured out as a sweaty, tall, blond-haired MechWarrior crawled out, taking a moment to get his bearings. He stood straight-backed, still maintaining the usual Clanner arrogance.
Staring into the cockpit of Lom's Hatchetman, he spat, “The second time you have humiliated me. We will meet again, Lom. Next time I will not be so...” He started coughing, spitting blood up.
The Clanner was about to speak again, when explosions went up all over the city, walls of fire visible for miles in all directions. The boom that followed was deafening as it roared through the empty streets. It was dusk out, and the flames' shadows flickered and licked off Star Commander Teldurak's face as he continued to stare. There was nothing but hatred in his eyes.
“Never again.” he concluded, then disappeared around the corner of a building.
Switching his speakers to external, Lom shouted, making sure he could still hear him, “Just make sure you bring that autocannon again. You'll need it.”
“All units fall back. Objectives achieved. Rendezvous for quick burn in fifteen.” Enda called.
----
3064
Arc-Royal
Lyran Alliance
A loud knock awoke Lom from his sleep. As he opened his eyes, the morning light was blinding.
“Come.” he spoke.
The door to his lance's cramped quarters creaked open. In stepped Enda, followed by Arctureus. Pulling himself up, Lom rubbed his eyes to adjust.
“Can I help you, Captain?”
“Well, Hauptmann, since we seem to be addressing each other by rank, I came to speak to you about something. You know what day it is?” asked Enda.
“Yes, Captain, I do. The expiration of our agreement.” he glanced at Charlotte. She had woken up the rest of the way and was sitting up next to Lom. “My lance accomplished each and every objective these last nine months and I know you have been grateful. Now you want to know if we will sign on with your company, become permanent fixtures.”
“Exactly.”
Charlotte inched her hand until it was underneath his.
“I will have your answer tomorrow. Today is a day of rest. Our campaign is at an end and my people deserve a break.”
==Author's Notes==
Thanks for reading. Please drop me an email @ RomStarEmpire@msn.com to let me know what you think.
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