FRS Chpt 20

==Falcon Rising - Chapter 20 -==
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===Meeting old acquaintance===
I arose with the sun, the meager four hours doing little to rest my weary body, but I understood that needs must, so I quickly brewed a pot of coffee before drinking it and climbing up into my 'Mech, Gray following me as I climbed the ladder and secured myself into the command chair.
 
I hadn't powered the machine off fully, so it was a simple matter to input my security passphrase and code before the full power of the extralight fusion engine rumbled underneath me.
 
"Star Commander, gather your Star," Joanna ordered as her Mad Dog passed by me. "You are to attempt scouting the river for a place where we can make our way across with our Jump Jets."
 
"Understood," I signaled my response as my Star's 'Mechs began to power up. "Bravo Star, give ready status and follow me, we are acting as recon, quiaff?"
 
"Aff!" they replied and signaled ready status, the other four 'Mechs following me as we moved the thirty kilometers back to the river.
 
The rapids were beyond what I would have classified as 'Class V' Back home. With the river moving swiftly enough that most machines would be swept away, and the remainder being heavily damaged. And worse, there were very few places where even a Light 'Mech would be capable of jumping across with no issue.
 
"Star Commander," a familiar voice pinged my private comms. "I thought I told you to be careful."
 
"Hello, Darya," I grinned. "I was careful, unfortunately, it was not enough, and they wished to send me to a garrison cluster."
 
"I see that has been rescinded. Are you now a proud member of Pryde's Pride, quiaff?"
 
"Neg," I shook my head. "I am a member of the Falcon Guard, but I am not a member of his… Cult of Personality."
 
"An interesting turn of phrase. I shall have to borrow it at some point in the future. Regardless, we are summoned, it seems they have found a point to cross, and we are needed. And Mark, I expect to see you after the battle."
 
"Should we survive, we shall see," I replied before ordering my Star to follow as I headed for the coordinates that had been transmitted to me.
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===Baiting the ComGuard===
We neared the place where the crossing was to take place, the 'Mechs clustered already beginning to jump over as the Star Colonel's Timber Wolf jumped first into a tranquil part of the river, that had been created by sacrificing several Omnimechs to the river. Then, he jumped clear to the other side.
He was followed by lines of four 'mechs, each jumping as he did, first into the calm, and then across where they were assigned defensive positions. Unfortunately, two 'Mechs failed the jump. One, a Summoner, had its jets malfunction and send it rocketing into the artificial breakwater, the pilot drowning as his cockpit seals failed, the other, missed the location and ended up downstream, where his ejection seat didn't clear the cliffs, and left him as a bloody smear on the wall.
 
But then it was my turn, and I could almost feel the stares as I leaped, the jets igniting my older 'Mech and arcing me into the middle of the river where I carefully stopped and measured the next jump before igniting the jets again and clearing the other side with meters to spare.
 
"Bravo Star is clear," I reported. "Shifting to defensive positions."
 
Once the remainder of the 'Mechs had crossed, both clusters split into their respective groups, with the 2nd Falcon Jaegers moving to assist the Plough Bridge, while we shifted and began moving towards Robyn's Crossing.
 
Star Colonel Pryde ordered us to spread out, each Star following the battle plan that had been laid out beforehand. "Slow to half-speed" came over an open channel as the gleaming white 'Mechs of Comstar appeared.
 
I held my breath as I watched Comstar take the bait, thinking that we were about to begin one-on-one combat, then I flipped up the cap on the button that I had assigned to my Jump jets.
 
"Those who are to speed up, advance at double rate. Those who are to jump, do so in ten seconds."
 
One heartbeat, two, then I counted to ten and jumped in sync with the rest of the group, my lasers arcing out with my SRMs to find holes and punch through armor as I floated through the cluster of Comstar's Mechs. We poured through the gap that had been created in their ranks, as everything seemed to slow. It was odd, despite the advanced warfare, and the new weapons, we had just mounted an old-school cavalry charge and broken through infantry lines.
Then time accelerated, and I melted a Griffin with a PPC, another 'Mech finishing it off as it slumped to the ground.
 
Then we were through the ComGuard lines, and heading towards Robyn's Crossing, the 'Mechs left behind attempting a pursuit as a few Falcon 'Mechs covered the rear.
 
New white gleams appeared, shining in the sunlight as they turned to face us, the 'Mechs guarding the crossing now fighting both the Seventh Falcon Cluster across the river as well as the forces that we had brought to bear.
 
Now that the heat had left my 'Hammer, I triggered my PPCs, both beams of man-made lightning arcing out and striking a Rifleman, the autocannon ammunition going up and sending what was left of the 'Mech crashing to the ground.
 
The ComGuards held firm at first in the face of our advance, and then they began to give way, eventually retreating and allowing us to have the crossing.
 
"They are retreating!" Joanna crowed.
 
"And we have the crossing," I muttered as I took up a guard position. "Star Captain, requesting permission to advance."
 
"Negative. Hold until given further orders."
 
"Understood," I looked at my tactical overlay and sighed as I realized that one of my star's Omnimechs had been taken out in the fighting earlier. "Guess we're short now, huh Gray," I reached back and stroked her head as I kept an eye on my screens.
 
"Good to see that you are alive and well."
 
"Darya, I assume the battle at the bridge went well?"
 
"Aff," she replied. "As well as could have been expected. I am still expecting you tonight. After all, there is much to catch up on. It has been over a year since we last spoke, after all."
 
"Agreed," I relaxed for a brief moment. "But there are still battles to be fought and won before we meet again."
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===Last Efforts for any kind of Victory===
I listened to the channels as they began debating over what and why city of Olalla looked abandoned and deserted, with nothing appearing on sensors or even close.
 
Then Alpha Heavy volunteered to go down and check out the town, and I felt a pit form in my gut as the one fully intact Star moved through the deserted town, the sun beginning to set behind the mountains.
 
I tuned out the conversation as I flipped through various sensors and vision modes, trying to find out the location of the ambush."Remember the first ambush, when Mechwarrior Faulk lost his leg? The ComGuards came out from underneath the orchard."
 
"We must get Alpha Heavy out of there!" Joanna roared as Comstar began to attack.
"Bravo, push!" I ordered as I began to move into the city, my PPCs striking out with alternating beams of lightning interspersed with laser fire.
 
I focused on a King Crab, its back turned away from me as I hammered its rear torso until the assault 'Mech tipped over, its pilot ejecting as I shifted to a Highlander.
The Highlander tried to kill Star Commander Jula Huddock's Executioner, but I shattered its knee as I moved close enough for my missiles and small lasers to carve away, my Star falling in as we moved to relieve Alpha Heavy.
"Star Commander, what are you doing?" Joanna asked as I stepped in front of the Executioner, taking autocannon fire intended for the assault 'Mech before returning fire, a Shadow Hawk falling prey to my missiles as the SRMs cratered against the cockpit, the medium halting in its tracks before LRMs from the other forces hit it in the rear.
The Star Captain had decided not to hold back anymore and had moved through the ComGuard forces, shattering 'Mechs with missiles and lasers as she neared the small circle of 'Mechs that made up the remnants of Alpha Heavy and Bravo Star.
 
Then I heard something that made me stutter step, and narrowly avoid a flurry of missiles that would have impacted my cockpit, instead cratering and rendering one of my lasers inoperable as molten metal dripped down and closed off the opening.
 
A Dropship's fusion torch lit up the sky as Kael Pershaw began to give us the bad news.
 
<<"-- The Falcon Guards are needed back at the bridge. Our Warriors are pinned down. We are to retreat to the Dropships, and I must ask-No, order- the Falcon Guards to provide cover for the withdrawal.">>
I listened as Aidan Pryde eventually won the war within himself and ordered us to move back to Robyn's Crossing to cover the retreat.
"Star Colonel, Star Captain," I opened a channel. "Allow me to take a Star and take Humptulips. If they have left no defenders. I can at least plant our banner and then retreat."
 
"I will render aid as well." Darya broke into the channel.
 
"If Kael is correct, we cannot spare a full Star," Pryde sighed. "You two may go, but know that there will be no support provided."
 
"I will go alone," I finally stated as the dropships began to fall on the other side of the city.
 
"Then go now," Joanna's Mad Dog seemed to salute me. "We will cover the retreat."
 
I shifted my 'Mech into passive sensor mode and took off at a full run, it would take an hour to make it to the next city, and I doubted that I had enough time to take it and hold it before the rest of the Falcons fell back and left Tukayyid behind.
 
"Well Gray, I always wanted to go out in a last stand. I might as well make it an epic one."
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