LUU Chpt 5

==Let Us Unite - Chapter V -==
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===Unpleasant "Best Regards"===
Date: December 27th, 2766, 1900 Pacific Standard Time
Location: San Diego, Camp Pendleton Military Hospital
"The Black Watch sends its regards"
 
"Where was this found?" General Samuel Hill asked his staff. "Amaris swore that we'd gotten all of the bastards."
 
"It was spray painted on the wall above the bodies of the senior officers of the local garrison," a staffer reported. "The bodies were already cold by the time we found them." 
 
"How'd they go?" Hill asked, looking at the pictures of dead RWR soldiers. 
 
"It isn't pretty," the Lieutenant replied. "Most died to the IED, but the rest," he shook his head. "Precise headshots and kill shots. If it weren't for them being our enemy I'd be impressed."
 
"Be impressed later," Samuel sighed as he rubbed at his graying temples. "Start patrolling near where this happened. The person who did this will be long gone by now, but we might get lucky."
 
"Do you really think it's a member of the Goddamn Black Watch?" a rookie nervously spoke up.
 
"I hope not." General Hill stood up from where he had been seated. "For the civilian's sake if nothing else. And if it is a Black Watch survivor, then we're going to need some more people. We can't let them slip through our net or Amaris will have our heads."
 
"Right," Colonel Sanchez nodded as he finally finished reading the report. "We're going to want counter-espionage units on this. Which means we're going to have to reach out to another regiment that specializes in it."
 
"Agreed," Hill tried to rid himself of the headache. "May God have mercy on our souls, Colonel. Because if we bring in counter-espionage, the SLDF won't."
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===Sending a Message===
A few hours previously… Outskirts of Unity City
"This is all you could find?" Elizabeth asked O'Bannon. 
 
"Rest weren't willing to do anything. Or were part of the militia," the Mechwarrior shrugged."What'd you want me to do? Try and force them?"
 
"No." Hazen shook her head before looking at the ten or so people who were there, and then with a nod at the bartender, the music and all noise shut off. "I'm Major Elizabeth Hazen of the One Hundred and Ninety First Battlemech Division. A Mechwarrior assigned to the Royal Black Watch Regiment. If you saw the news recently, then you now know that the rumors of our deaths are greatly exaggerated. And that we managed to nearly kill that Fat Bastard Amaris even as he assassinated the First Lord in his own throne room."
 
Hazen met the eyes of every single one of the soldiers, holding their gaze for a moment before glancing at the bartender and nodding. 
 
Jack turned and pulled a picture frame off of the wall, revealing a keypad and a handprint scanner that he placed his hand against before typing in a rapid series of numbers. The wood paneling behind his bar slid open to reveal a stairwell that led down into the bowels of the earth. 
 
"It's open," the retired Black Watch member nodded at Elizabeth. "I'll close it down up here and follow you." 
 
She led the ten soldiers down the stairs, the lights showing the way down to what had been created as a safehouse a century or so before, with constant maintenance and upgrades keeping the place modernized. 
 
"Safe House 427," Elizabeth glanced behind her. "The Black Watch has quite a few of these scattered around the Terran Hegemony in case of emergency."
 
"Nice," O'Bannon walked over to a set of panels. "I take it you can get in touch with other safehouses from here?"
 
"Aye," the Major took a seat and began typing in access codes, a flickering light shining in the corner of her vision. "We use encrypted frequencies on bands that are hard to pick up. But we don't want to transmit too much or we'll be found out. That being said," Elizabeth cracked her neck. "It seems that someone is trying to get in touch with us."
 
<<"This is Bravo Whiskey Actual to any Bravo Whiskey survivors, please respond.">>
 
"This is Bravo Whiskey Four-Two, I read you, five-by-five" Elizabeth leaned in, a smirk on her face. "I have ten assorted Freemen(1) with me and am awaiting further orders."
 
<<"We have surviving Charlies, orders are to rendezvous at Rally Point Gamma,"?? A female voice responded. <<"The Freemen have the choice to stay and resist or come with us. But our duty is clear.">>
 
"Copy that Bravo Whiskey Actual, I'll be at rally point Gamma in two days."
 
The transmission cut out and Elizabeth bolted up and began swapping on lights, opening the doors labeled Armory and Garage as she did so. 
 
"O'Bannon," she called out as she tossed several duffle bags to the floor. "You're on weapons detail. "Jack," she called out to the older man who had just finished coming down the stairs. "Start grabbing the cash. We're bugging out."
 
"And the rest of us?" a shorter woman asked. 
 
"Tanker?" Hazen asked.
 
"Yeah," the other woman crossed her arms. "What of it?"
 
"That means you get to help Jack pick which vics we're bringing," Elizabeth sent her towards the garage. "The rest of you, start stripping anything we might need from here. We're on a tight schedule. They'll have Pendleton locked down in a couple of hours, we need to be out of sight and mind before they do that."
 
"And why will it be locked down?" O'Bannon tucked a pistol into his waistband.
 
"Because of my hunting trip earlier," the Major shrugged. "I sent the Rim Worlds Republic and the Fat Bastard a message. I'm hoping that it makes it all the way to the top."
 
"And what message was that?'
 
"That even if you think you've killed something, that doesn't mean that it didn't leave ghosts behind."
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===I'll Sleep when I'm Dead===
"How are they?" Capell asked,
 
"Ribs have been removed from her lungs, I've got her bones set, and I've given her the meds she'll need," Lieutenant Frank Yanez sighed as he removed a set of bloodied gloves. "It was pretty touch and go with the Colonel and Hinks. But they're past the worst of it."
 
"McFadden managed to establish contact with a few members that were outside of Unity City before Amaris launched his attack." Capell glanced at the sleeping members of the short company. "We're going to meet up with them at Gamma and figure things out from there."
 
"Gammas in San Francisco," Yanez scratched at some stubble that had begun creeping along his face. "It's going to be the third hottest search point on this continent for us."
 
"It won't be for long," McFadden entered the room. "We've got a plan, but we're going to need the Colonel's authorization to finish it. She's the only one with the credentials to get us into the base we need."
 
"Right,' Capell sat down on a nearby cot. "We should get some rest then, we'll have to head out pretty early if we want to reach Gamma in any sort of reasonable time frame."
 
"My thoughts as well," the other Major moved to the shower. "I'll take second watch if you want."
 
"No," Jewels Ferrel sat out of her cot. "I'm the least hurt here, I'll take watch while y'all rest up. I can sleep in the car if I need to."
 
"Sounds good," Capell yawned and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep as the lights were dimmed. 
 
"Try to get some rest, Major," Jewels called into the shower. "The last thing we need is for exhaustion to get us killed."
 
"If a Nuke couldn't do it," McFadden snarked. "Then I'm not sure a lack of sleep can do it. I'll sleep when I'm dead, Mechwarrior." 
 
The Scottish woman stepped out of the shower, toweling off her close-cropped strawberry-blond hair as she slipped on a pair of gym shorts and a tank top. "But thanks," her eyes softened. "I'm going to get some sleep right now. Lord knows we all need it right now."
 
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===Mobilization of the Troops===
"Time to get moving," Jewels shook Major McFadden awake. "Frank and I loaded the vehicles, so if we're going to leave, then we should head out soon."
 
"How're Schmitt and Hinks?" The major yawned. 
 
"Alive and on the mend, but they're not going to miraculously make a full recovery," Yáñez chimed in. "The rest of us should be good by the end of the week, maybe next week at full capability. But the Colonel will be down and out for a while."
 
"I need her lucid enough to get us into MINSY," McFadden sighed. "I need her credentials to get us into the base beneath."
 
"I'll be able to wake her up when we get there," the medic confirmed. "But after that, she'll need a full med suite and a doc that's got more than I do."
 
"You've done well with what you've had," Capell walked in. "You're a trained battlefield medic, not a licensed surgeon. Now, let's get them into the vehicles, we need to get moving, I expect the trip will take longer even if the roads are clear."
 
Mechwarrior Yáñez and Capell began moving the two critically injured into a comfortable-looking vacation van, wood paneling, carpet, and a bed, while Suarez and Southorn began throwing go bags into the back. 
 
"We go with ICE or Fusion?" 
 
"Fusión in both! We've got speed and durability. This puppy'll take an SRM four-pack and still be able to move!"
 
"And anything after that?" Yáñez raised an eyebrow. 
 
"Whelp, that's what you've got the speed for," Charles smiled sheepishly. "If we run into any 'Mechs we're fucked."
 
"So let's not run into anything," Capell slid into the driver's seat of one car. "There's a lot of people leaving Unity City right now. We'll blend in and head out. Yáñez!" He barked. "You're in the van, keep our wounded stable. Jewels, you're with me and Southorn. We're on weapons and security detail."
 
"And I've got the cash," McFadden appeared with two duffle bags. "One per vehicle, a bribe will go a long way if we need to leave in a hurry. And given the fat bastard's tendency for executing messengers…"
 
"Anyone who accepts a bribe will try to keep quiet about it," Capell agreed. "Suarez, get in the back of the van, Yáñez'll be occupied and they'll need a shooter."
 
"Copy that," Suarez grabbed a rifle, slid open the back door of the van, and climbed in. "Ready to roll whenever you are."
 
"Alright, let's get mobile," Capell hit a button in the sedan, opening the underground garage door. Destination, MINSY."
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Chapter 5