TBntG Chpt 33

==The Bull and the Genie- Chapter 33 - Plans and Battles==
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===Long Distant Planning===
Somerset, Lyran Commonwealth
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"Archon, I agree that if necessary. We should be prepared to use nuclear weapons," Mary said. The transmission was real time. "but that would lead to…unavoidable issues of escalation by other parties."
Meaning your enemies might not believe you when you say you won't use them for any other purpose. 
<<"I believe I can handle the diplomatic consequences. I cannot handle a rampaging Warship.">>, Archon said 
"If we can catch it, I have a solution for that." Mary gestured at the man next to her. "Subaltern Kumbhar was formerly of the Special Asteroid Support Force, we don't allow individuals over thirty to serve for physical reasons but he mustered out honorably and we have a platoon worth of former SASF, a few more of qualified volunteers." She paused. "We can board that ship, because if they are pirates and they're acting like them, the lion's share of their wealth and prisoners will be on that ship."
"Any information about their homeworld, so we can discuss their actions with them.", Kumbhar said. His head was shaved, the light gleaming off his scalp as he nodded to Katrina. "Even if we can't take the ship entirely, we can punch through and kill the KF Drive."
<<"What if they escape?">>, Archon asks.
"Back home, when we board, we bring a special package with us." Kumbhar smiled, the expression feral. "About five kilotons should do it. So win or lose, once we board that ship isn't going anywhere. So if you happen to have any lying about…" 
<<"The SASF's reputation is not unearned, I see.">> Katrina said. <<"How will be find the ship?">>
"They're banking on the KF Drive. They'll attack Thomas, and then jump out, but they just jumped in. Once they do that, they'll be as immobile as any other ships." Mary gestured to Commodore Perez. 
"Thomas is a good ground officer, but he's not experienced in space forces command. I countermanded some of his orders. He's right that his dropship and aerospace forces can't destroy the ship, not without critical loses, but they don't have to. Your admiralty and our people worked together. So we think there's a good chance that if we can catch it in orbit, during fire support operations, we might be able to damage or destroy its sail."
<<"Which would mean their only option would be to charge using their fusion plant.">> Katrina said. <<"Even if we could not locate them initially, that would leave them vulnerable for any future attacks.">> She glanced at Fleet Admiral Sharon Farragut. <<"And your operations?">>
"We can't deploy JumpShips to every system, but we've picked the most likely. Even if the assault damages their sail, I doubt they'd jump for deep space. They'd probably want a star they could recharge from quickly. So if they could get their systems working again. Ignoring the systems with HPG stations in it, and we have a certain amount of coverage. Any jumpship that sees them jump in, will jump out to a communications point."
<<"Good. General, I agree with you that avoiding the use of nuclear weapons may reduce political complications, but those complications will be far less than another world attacked. If you cannot stop this ship before it attacks another world, the defensive forces will use all tools at their disposal. I… I will also order the provision of proper luggage for your boarding parties. Good luck.">> Archon told Mary
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===Find and Go Seek===
TDF HQ, Toland City - Toland, Lyran Commonwealth
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"Who the fuck are these guys!" Captain Rodgers snarled. He'd not been a captain, not before he'd stolen a mech from the Free Worlds League, but now he was. The operation was simple. Drive through and keep the locals busy by torching everything in their path. Forget the machine tools—the central bank had enough wealth to make every 'mech pilot in the raid a rich man. 
Except all that did was produce more smoke. Made it harder to see, harder to fight and every damned street corner had a barricade or a collapse building. Half the time of the time when they shot it to shit, all the defenders did was run to the next barricade. 
"Where the fuck is my air support!" he shouted. 
The biggest pirate raid in living memory, over 70 Battlemechs, more troops than you can shake a stick at, a fucking Warship! Don't they know they're supposed to be terrified! 
Next to his mech, one of their Manticore tanks stopped, and the commander popped the lid. "Where the fuck is the battleship!" 
"It's coming, now help me—"
Rodgers didn't hear anything in his cockpit, but he imagined the popping sound of the sniper rifle as the tank commander's head exploded. 
"Fuck!" he snarled.
Down the corner, the Lyran SWAT team didn't wait to see the results of their shot. Running from the room, just ahead of the PPC beams obliterated it. 
It wasn't a problem. They'd set up more than one sniper nest, after all.
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===Battle of Toland City: Fire Support===
Outskirts of Toland City - Toland, Lyran Commonwealth
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"Stand by for firing," Teresa said. They had observers by the park where the dropships had grounded. "Alternating cluster and HE!"
"Confirming. Unit Two, ready.", said Gunnery Sargent
"Fire!"
The small craft rocked as the two artillery pieces fired, their sound echoed by the other two on the second craft. 
"Reload!" the automatic loader pushed the second round in as the magazine attendants confirmed that everything was working. A moment later, Teresa got the thumbs up at the same time her board went green.
"Fire!" 
I wonder if they even have counter battery radar set up., Teresa shook her head. It didn't matter. They'd relocate anyway. Just because pirates were overconfident idiots was no reason to emulate them.
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The pirates didn't. The park was buzzing with activity as troops streamed back from ares where they had been thrown back, while more came out of the grounded behemoths, these ones originally intended to be used as a second wave before everything went south.
The buildings around the park were smoldering wreckage, the pirates firing on every position that might conceal a missile launcher or soldier. 
But forward observers just needed a radio…
The first four rounds were right on target, opening up just over the park and dispersing hundreds of bomblets. Men and women shrieked as their bodies were torn asunder, light vehicles fairing little better, and even the heavy 'mechs taking damage. Then just as the sound of the explosions started to fade, the second volley arrived, this one HE—and targeted on the DropShips. Two missed, churning the soil of the park into a bloody mess, but two struck one of the smaller DropShips, an old DRoST. The ship heaved, two of its landing pads giving way as it sank down in a shower of sparks.
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===Alert, Trouble coming===
Toland City - Toland, Lyran Commonwealth
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"Attention, that warship is getting close." Thomas sent out over the tac net. "Remember, stay close to the enemy—that way they have to worry about hitting their own if they want to play ortillary games."
"Do you think that's going to help?" the Zeus's pilot had a very high voice for someone who was so good at punching mechs into wreckage.
"Against pirates, probably not. But hey, if they want to shoot us with Naval PPCs, best to ensure we share the joy with their friends." Thomas checked his armor. Mostly yellow, some red. "So let's go. I don't think they've quite got the memo about bad sorts not being welcome around here."
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