TOW55

Chapter 55 - The Other War
Kabah
Clan Smoke Jaguar Occupation Zone
April 27th, 3056
The Jousting Ground, once home to Azami Judicial Duels, now served as a popular Circle of Equals among the 214th Jaguar Dragoons. Located at the foot of the Kabah Cashbah, an ornate sandstone fortress built within a desert mesa overlooking an oasis. A fortress that at one time protected its Sheikh during constant low level wars fought over scarce resources during the Succession Wars.
It now flew a stylized Smoke Jaguar banner with Azami illuminations. Stunningly colorful pictographs of tribal desert warriors were engraved along the mesa base and Mech sized obelisks that clearly marked boundaries. Goliath Scorpion Seekers agitated to visit its archives but, were not yet allowed into any Occupation Zone.
Standing next to one of the markers was a gray Arctic Cheetah, piloted by Mechwarrior Faye, her opponent, Shandra, was within a tan Mist Lynx on the far side of the Grounds. In the middle was a Supernova piloted by their commander and Bloodhouse Leader, Star Colonel Eric Freelander of the 214th Jaguar Dragoons.
Colorful kites with script illuminated in gold fluttered in the breeze while sand blew lazily. Blue clad spectators waited for the clock to tick down for what would likely be a very impressive duel. Faye and Shandra had recently arrived from the homeworlds and shortly after they established themselves another Freelander succumb to the hemorrhagic fever endemic to Azami worlds, no doubt through fraternization with the locals despite warnings and history.
Faye's hair and scant clothing were damp from sweat despite the battle not even starting yet. To make up for the five ton difference of her newer machine she bid away her cooling suit for this Trial of Bloodright. Instead she wore a sarashi and shorts, even though the Arctic Cheetah was cool running, heat was relative and it was hot outside already. Her eyes were glued to the HUD as it was the only way she could see outside, the armored cowling having been lowered at T-2 minutes. Seconds lingered longer than she thought possible each timed with the drops falling from her braids.
At T-30 seconds, she turned the reactor output up from its standby power granting more power to the myomer muscles, her mech's jump jet ports opened, pouring out low grade heated air which cause her mech to shimmer on the desert sands. Across the way Shandra's Mist Lynx did the same the narrow profiled machine animated its skinny legs, its missile locking into place from their rest position.
As the clock wound down the Supernova's arms lowered and it stepped back marking the official start of the Trial. Faye came off the block like a sprinter her reactor pouring power into the myomers as the Mist Lynx did the same.
Each circled the other exchanging salvos of long range missiles which corkscrewed through the sky only to find air as the agile machines evaded easy target locks even at jousting range. Their impacts threw up sand and drew cheers from those assembled. The light machines leapt into the sky like eagles attempting to find the other with closer range weapons. Having found none they crossed the nearly kilometer diameter ring in less than a minute without straining the machine or its Mechwarriors.
Running low on LRMs both tried once more to circle the ring trying to pin down their swift footed foe having only done minimal damage to the lightly armored combatants. Both targets were moving so fast that targeting was doubly difficult even at close range. The Arctic Cheetah was slightly faster and better armored than the Mist Lynx but its pilot was growing heat stressed in her confining cockpit and her opponent was more familiar with her Omnimech's capabilities. Mist Lynxes had earned the callsign, 'Koshi,' or Small Death, for their ability to best the light mechs DCMS typically employed. While newer and superior in some ways the 'Hankyu', as the DCMS called the Arctic Cheetah, did not have as dire a reputation, yet.
Ultimately, Faye and Shandra ran out of ammunition within seconds of one another, each only carried minimal ammunition to reduce the risk of ammo explosion destroying the lightly armored mech should something go through. With a pair of medium lasers Faye now had the advantage in range and mobility against Shandra's shorter ranged secondary weapons capable of reaching out only a fraction of her own range. Still was suffering from the heat, her brown skin was now glistening with sweat, and she seriously considered lifting the armor protecting her cockpit.
Her mind was in overdrive but was growing more clouded as she baked in the cockpit little larger than her own small form. She activated the safety override the cowling lifted exposing the ferroglaz screen and mounting cage which was open to the blistering hot air outside. Faye accelerated her full speed moving nearly half the width of the ring in ten seconds but provided a cooling breeze. Eric's voice came in over the radio, “Mechwarrior, return your armored cowling to its proper position.”
“Neg, I have to die somehow, it is either going to be the heat or Shandra.”
A brief pause fell over the Jousting Grounds as the spectators gasped that a Warrior was facing down a Mech with her cockpit open. “Very well, it is your choice, Mechwarrior. Continue on.”
Both Mechs pursued the other like charioteers in the Circus Maximus. Faye was in the clear lead and everyone knew that it was only a matter of time. Unable to match the ground speed of her opponent Shandra instead tried to bottle her up against the border using jump jets in order to bring her within her own engagement range. The Mist Lynx's small lasers and machine guns could get into effective range or her streak missiles get a positive target lock. Faye kept one laser in range alternating which arm fired to the back each time she changed direction while keeping her cockpit safe. 
Thirty seconds later the Mist Lynx was down after its left torso was slagged by laser fire. After a release of plasma from containment the reactor shut down. Shandra's Mist Lynx stumbled and ended up face down in the sand. A great cheer erupted from the crowd who had not expected to see such a hard fought Trial between two light mechs. Small incendiaries filled the sky with brightly colored smoke, loud booms, and bright flashes.
Faye's Arctic Cheetah exited the Circle of Equals while the salvage techs recovered the battered loser. Shandra looked genuinely shocked at the events that transpired. “I thought I had you, Faye.”
She looked at the damaged Arctic Cheetah, during the chase some of the Mist Lynx's missile managed to connect early on stripping the almost non-existent rear armor from the chassis but did not cause any critical damage. “Another good shot and you might have. There will be more chances.”
Star Colonel Freelander waited just long enough for the Techs to load the fallen mech onto a tracked mech transporter which rumbled away toward the depot. The next round of Warriors were readying for a Trial of Position but would have to wait until after the Rite of Recognition. Eric's Supernova crouched near a scaffolding and he descended it in his gray cooling suit. “Well fought, Faye Freelander. Your formal induction ceremony will take place this evening. Until then return to base.” 
He shifted toward Shandra, “Mechwarrior, you may remain on station if you wish. Take the transport back when you are done.”
Faye's Arctic Cheetah walked past the the Huntsman and Storm Crow piloted by the next participants. Azami youth tended to their animals and their families enjoyed their rations under large tents whose canvas bodies fluttered in the wind.
In order to enforce quarantine over the latest round of hemorrhagic fevers the Smoke Jaguar base was moved from the main city to the outskirts. The tent and container city was encircled with concertina wire and gabions filled with sand and rubble particularly near the underground ammunition bunkers despite them always being mostly empty. 
Overworked and sunburnt Technicians and Laborers drank from square water bottles while resting in the shade of one of the tents acquired via local Merchant contacts. Two damaged light mechs was considered an easy day to them compared to the Mauler covered in scaffolding nearby which while dangerous looking lacked nearly all its weapons. The DCMS Assault had become something of a vanity project for the Star Colonel who ordered its weapons upgraded to Clantech despite lacking the proper facilities.
She dismounted while the Techs stopped their break to work on the engine killed Mist Lynx first. The 214th Jaguar Dragoons' camp had enough beds for a full Cluster but calling them such was overly generous. A pair of Elementals passed her on patrol standing tall in heavy armor while carrying Mausers. They lacked sufficient spare parts to repair the remaining Elemental Star's suits that struck such fear into the hearts of their enemies. Colonel Freelander could barely muster a full Trinary of Omnimechs most of which were recent arrivals, DCMS Isorla provided another Binary cobbled together with parts sourced from informal Quartermaster contacts. Although there was an Aerospace Trinary attached to the formation it was always off-world guarding Merchant-Class jumpships. 
Nevertheless the camp took up the same amount of space as one inhabited by a larger force. In order to complete the illusion the Jaguars within were given generous allotments, in fact due to desert parasites they had to take minimum two showers a day. This Faye appreciated, she removed her clothes before enjoying a luxurious shower in the empty bathhouse. After finishing she stood in the nearby courtyard to dry off and soak up the sun before changing into her hot weather uniform.
The evening meal came and went with a blessing from the Star Colonel who was a member of the Qua'rani Cloister and made no secret of it. Beta Galaxy Commander Mikhail Ward assigned him to pacify Kabah after a local Azami assassinated his predecessor. Kabah contained rich mineral resources and what little industry the Jaguars could muster they needed to maintain their Occupation Zone against constant DCMS aggression.
Thus far he was doing well and it was everything else falling apart that was straining the Jaguar Garrison on world. Kilotons of refined minerals were waiting for a Dropship to receive them and the Dragoons were running low on ammunition and omnipods. Regardless he kept the unit together as there was no major Bloodhouse Ristar that thought to supplant him and cause unnecessary hostilities that might shatter the brittle unit.
Star Colonel Freelander raised a cup of the local date wine, “Warriors, It is my personal honor to welcome Mechwarrior Faye Freelander and Star Captain Corin to our midst.” The Quartermaster had sourced a number of local delights for the special event and the Dragoons' dug in. Even their lower Caste received superior rations although they were of course not allowed to dine with the Warriors, some lines could not be crossed.
After finishing their spread one of the tables was cleared and Faye laid supine atop it naked from the waist up. Such a thing raised no special interest, all Sibko facilities were co-op and it remained so throughout a Warriors' career, only lower caste cared to separate such things. 
Normally a Jaguar bloodnamed was inked with a tattoo but that was less visible on the darker skin common in that Clan. Instead other methods were employed that had more visible effect while demonstrating considerable fortitude. Among these methods was electrostatic scarification, Eric had acquired one of the pencil shaped surgical tools from their MedTechs and stood poised over her abdomen with it in hand.
“You may request a topical anesthetic, Faye, this is quite uncomfortable.”
“I can take it, Colonel.”
“I believe you.” He looked over to a pair of Elementals who nodded and took position at either side of her in order to hold her arms and legs down. When he touched the probe she felt like a million electric needles poking her all at once by the time he was done she was blacked out from the pain.
----
She woke up in a familiar room but it was not the one she was expecting although she was holding her brand which had faded over time but never would disappear on its own. Instead she was in her quarters aboard the Essex III-Class Destroyer, CFM From the Ashes disappointingly not next to handsome Marine turned Kindraa Leader. By the time her alarm stopped and she verified that the date was not in April 28th 3056 but, 3062 the intercom cut in, “Mission Commander we are approaching Sinclair. We still have not heard anything from the former Hellion Enclave on Delta. They fail to heed our hails.”
Coming to her senses and the present she remembered why she was here, “Well Commodore, Xander did say he feared something had occurred recently. I suppose we will have to find out.”
“Aff, Commander. I will order the away team readied.”
Faye opened up the latest scans of the icy moon from the Essex's sensors, the base's fission reactor was still online, external comm systems undamaged as far as could be seen, and the shuttle pads were unoccupied. “What is going on there that Khan Drake failed to tell us?”
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